


Prodigal Daughter

by FaeForge



Series: Born of Stone and Amber [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Blood and Injury, Dark Past, Flashbacks, Gen, Healing, Medical Trauma, Past Character Death, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Recovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:53:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 22,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27582332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FaeForge/pseuds/FaeForge
Summary: Five Years after the escape of the original, medical researchers successfully replicate plans purchased on the black market to create a second Mewtwo.  Their schemes to control it fail and the new creation escapes into the woods for five more years before being found by her creator.The geneticist responsible is faced with the repercussions of her actions and the desire to make right by her creation.
Series: Born of Stone and Amber [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2091141
Comments: 24
Kudos: 56





	1. In the Woods Somewhere

**Author's Note:**

> This is a reboot of a story I wrote back in 1997 involving my original Mewtwo character Avalon. It takes place in my fan region Casdia which is based on the Pacific Northwest that I am also developing on the side. Prodigal Daughter is the background story of Avalon in this reboot. Exile's End will be the main story to follow.
> 
> Some general headcanons in this story I included are:  
> Mewtwo is a genetically modified organism and not a direct clone of mew  
> Mewtwo is a species name  
> All animals on the planet are technically pokemon including humans.  
> Biology of pokemon will tend to follow their closest real world counterparts (if there are any) that includes things like - genetics, color morphs, metabolism, reproduction, anatomy and so on. 
> 
> Some other headcanons and information to note-  
> Avalon unlike Original Mewtwo did not have the benefit of her own Amber or Ai (depending on version) to teach her basics of language or life.  
> There will be no Newtwo in this fiction as Avalon, a female mewtwo who prefers the wilds and was created in North America, is similar enough to be more or less a replacement for her.  
> While Original Mewtwo will not be appearing till the second story Exile's End he will be referenced often. 
> 
> For the sake of continuity and sanity the following changes have been made to his backstory-
> 
> No one had their minds blanked at the end of the new island incident. Instead the bright light was a teleport on the island sending away the trainers and the storm was left permanently in place to keep people out. Mewtwo was presumed dead by the world at large. Most don't believe the wild stories of the trainers who returned from there.
> 
> He abandoned the castle for a time and the events at Mt. Quena still happened as they do in in Mewtwo Returns.
> 
> After that he still wanders the world but calls back to the island as a home base and a place to look after the clones that are still with him.
> 
> I will be posting art to go along with this on my tumblr.

December 2nd 2009\. Great Yamaki Forest, Casdia Region.

“How did it come to this?” she murmured staring down at the prone figure in the ferns.

The sound of helicopter beats in the distance matched her pulse. Aspen didn't have a lot of time. The searchers would be upon them soon, but she had a plan, her hand closed on the ball in her pocket.  
_“Morgan…”_ the soft voice echoed in her mind _“...you need to hurry..”_  
“I Know Merlin… I’m just… are we alone?” she could feel sweat beading on her brow despite the fog on her every breath.

The fox faced being with her bristled his whiskers and held a spoon in his hand out as his eyes glowed, turning in a slow circle to scan the quickly darkening forest. _“Nothing Morgan.. not for at least half a mile but you need to hurry”_ the normally taciturn Alakazam let out a soft squeak with his words.

Aspen started to pull the ball from her pocket, purple and pink with a large M on it. It probably wasn't necessary, but she couldn't take any chances here. She approached stepping lightly between roots and fallen branches to the place where the creature had fallen.

Pulse pounding in her ears masked the distant shouts. It wasn't them she feared.. it was Her. This thing had killed over half their lab staff, destroyed the entire set up, and slipped out into the woods before anyone could figure out what had happened.

That was five years ago. This monster left her birthplace in smoke, ash, and blood. Now? White fur stained by mud and grass, long lavender tail similarly marred. From the waist down it was clearly not human but the torso had an all too human shape enough to spark familiarity but also still totally alien. Its second spine arched to the back of her large head, and the feline face was pressed into the moss. Was she even alive?

Aspen gulped. Strongly poisoned food, set out in the winter when she would be desperate. A diabolical plan, but something she had come to expect from her employers. She crept closer crouching next to the large Pokemon in the brush. There was a snap under her heel. Aspen sucked in a breath, pulse roared and her hands shook. This is it, it was going to rip her to pieces.

The thing turned its head and cracked open an eye, dilated pupils with purple irises tried to focus on her with little success, the creatures gaze wandering over her and past. It tried crawl away a soft hiss coming from it. Too weak. Aspen let out a sigh, she would live another day “I’m sorry” said in a whisper as she reached out with the ball and gently tapped it on the creature’s knee. There was the flash of light and whoosh the trigger light instantly turning green.

Aspen stared at the ball in her hand still shivering before a distant shout brought her back to reality. “Merlin the bag!” she stepped out of the dip where the creature had fallen pocketing the ball inside her coat. The moment she was clear a large plastic bag floated over the spot and upended. A large blob of goo fell with a horrible wet splat onto the ground making Aspen quick step back. The rancid smell of rotten meat washing out the fresh pine and rain that was here before.

Leftovers, she told herself, it was only leftovers, but it should be enough to convince them. Double checking that the ball was safe in her jacket Aspen climbed back up the slope waving towards the search teams “OVER HERE!!! I FOUND IT!” shouts echoed around the woods and slowly they closed in on her.


	2. Debriefing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every act has a consequence.

Aspen sat in the office her hands folded in her lap. Cleaned up and far away from those cold woods she still felt tension in her shoulders. Not a single pokeball on her, occupied or otherwise, nor anything she trained around for miles. Just her, this clean white office and a pair of possessed swords floating at the back of the room. Fabric pennants fluttering in non-existent wind, eyes in the pommel scowling at her, she never liked this thing and the Duoblade knew it. All of the security force kept pokemon like this here, ghosts, steel, and dark things.. anything to keep the project in line. Hell of a lot of good it did them all.

The door opened and Aspen kept her gaze locked on the haunted swords. A small man, jaw clenched, eyes cold and pale as chips of ice, with an unkempt crop of dark hair came around the desk and sat down across from her. Setting down a folder he opened it to scan down the pages.

“This is an interesting report doctor Aspen..” he began, his voice soft and sharp, about as welcoming as a paper-cut.

“Interesting or not its the truth Captain Faust…”

  
“mmm… so it would seem. I had your underlings… the ones that survived anyway.. test the material you found.. it would seem...” he leaned back into his chair and folded his hands across his lap “...that our subject did in fact die out there… unfortunate... it will be some years before we can clone another one”

“Extreme Connective Tissue Error brought on by the toxins it ingested.” Aspen lied the prepared lie.

  
“Mmm… as you stated” he droned “perhaps the next one will be more stable? Not my department but certainly someone as brilliant as you Morgan can think of something?”

“I don't know and frankly I don't care”

  
The man pursed his thin lips and raised his brows. Behind him the swords clicked together.

  
Aspen reached into her folio fishing out a letter to drop on his desk “I know this isn't your department either but since this is my debriefing and you will be reporting to Director Hamilton after this I figure you can drop this off.”

His gaze dropped to the paper but he otherwise didn't move “resigning?”

  
“Effective immediately, people died here, friends….” explaining friendship to this man was about like explaining the concept to a lamp post “...point is I’ve seen enough, I started working here to help people, to help the world even. I’m tired, I want out, and my contract said I had to successfully finish the project. THAT is done… it survived for five years on its own in the wild with all the skill sets of an infant till your boys poisoned it. So I’m off the hook.” she shrugs “So…”

“so you have nothing to add?” he cut in before she could continue.

She paused, thinking it over, “No.. I don't, can I go now?”

  
He finally sat forward sliding the paper to look it over “I can pass this to the director…”

  
Aspen stood giving him a curt nod “Captain..” turned for the door and didn't look back, she didn't dare.


	3. A New Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aspen now has to face her own creation.

An old truck held together by rust lurched its way up the twisted and overgrown gravel road plunging deep into the Bayside forest. Rain pelted the roof filling the cabin with a soothing staccato as the engine chugged along. Aspen squinted through the windshield trying to divine her path through the rain. A large black Persian hunched on the other end of the seat watching out the windows with her making mournful meows every so often. A large _duffle_ bag sat on the seat between them. The back of the truck tarped over with a good stock of supplies and the last of what she owned. All or nothing, that's what she had decided.

The last few twists behind them they push through the last of the brush onto a gravel parking area in front of an old A frame cabin. It had belonged to her great aunt and no one else in her family had ever wanted it. She had thought about selling it off, but now she was grateful she kept it. It was going to save a life, maybe two.

Setting it into park Aspen pulled her hood up and shut down the truck. Boots on the ground she rushed around back starting to pull away the tarp. “Merlin??”

  
The Persian hoped from the truck and growled before running up to take shelter in the eves of the cabin “thanks a lot Panthur.. MERLIN!?”

There was a soft pop in the air next to her the whiskered pokemon hovering with its spindly legs and arms folded. _“You need something Morgan?”_

  
“Can you get this inside before its all soaked??”

He sighs blowing his whiskers out before he waves a spoon at the back of the truck and there's a larger pop and the truck bed is suddenly empty. Aspen relieved, closes it back up and rushes for the cabin “we need to get things sorted in there before we start” she steps inside and sighs. Ten years of dust greets her. “well.. we have our work cut out for us.” The Persian trots in behind her and immediately shakes off the water in his coat. Not even looking, Aspen just frowns “thanks for the help Panthur” she grabs a sheet on the couch and drags it off starting the long clean up process.

***

It took her several days and nights of work but finally about noon on the last day she looks around the cabin, bed set up, books on shelves, food in the pantry and power on, shockingly it passes for a livable home. The entire time she worked she eyed the master ball sitting on the coffee table. SHE waited inside, sick but stable thanks to the stasis inside the ball, but she couldn't stay that way, eventually Aspen was going to have to let her out. Everything was set up in the loft for her guest.

Steeling herself she grabbed the ball and double checked she had Panthur put away for now before she headed upstairs. Merlin waited there along with the medical equipment she would need to treat her patent. The most important of them being the antidote to the toxins she ingested, but just in case she had sprays and bandages and even some minor surgical tools just in case. Five years is a long time to be loose in the wild for anything, let alone something with no basis or idea how to survive out there. An infant, and as large and powerful as her creation might be it was still mentally at best still a child.

Aspen aimed the ball at the bed and hit the release. The whoosh and high pitched whine of the energy dispersing as the massive feline settled onto the mattress. Prone, just as she was when she was captured, but in so much worse shape in the light of day. Mud on her feet and hands, grass stains on her flanks and so many scars. The thin fur was tinted pink and rust in places from old blood, hard to say if it was hers.

Aspen could feel her shoulders slump “I'm so sorry…”

Merlin leaned over the bed cautiously ears perked _“She must have never learned she could regenerate…”_

“I would guess not… is it.. hard?”

  
 _“not overtly but it is something you have to focus on…_ _Aspen”_ her motioned her over with a claw

  
She moved over tilting her head, a shallow raspy breath coming from the creation. Moving carefully she stepped around the bed getting the antidote in hand as she leaned in to tuck the tip of the dispenser under her lip and between some rather intimidating teeth. A little squirt but it trickled out her mouth. Aspen sighs scooting her hand under its head to try and tip her so she can swallow, only getting halfway there before her eyes flash open, dilated and feverish. Aspen jumped back just as it did the same crashing into a tray and scattering its contents. Her creation hissed and scooted away till she bumped against the wall.

Heart racing Aspen holds her hands up “calm.. I’m not trying to hurt you. I know you probably don't understand me but please I’m trying to help you..” she wiggles the antidote in her hand “its medicine… you need it to stay alive”

  
 _“Morgan if you would allow me?”_ the Alakazam held up his claw to her and un-summoned his spoons.

  
She nodded as she watched her long time friend. Merlin stepped over towards the creation carefully holding his now empty hands up. It hissed curling a lip and scooting back harder against the wall. She could feel something happening in the air, a static, as Merlin reached out to the fellow psychic. No words, but pictures- a placid lake, a blooming flower, a calm blue sky. It tilted its head at him curiously and the response almost knocked her to the ground. Images flooded her mind, a warm dark cave, a blooming flower, rain in the forest. Unlike what came from the Alakazam this was not unlike having a movie projector shoved into your skull. Merlin reeled before getting his bearings. He nods and pauses to contemplate how to explain. He projects an image of that warm cave as he points back at Aspen. It looks at her, its gaze steely.

  
“Please.. I need to help you…” she took a step forward and it shrank back. Merlin held his hand up maintaining that image. Safe, Shelter, Calm. Slowly Aspen neared, growing more confident she was going to live through this. Eventually she knelt by her creation, her daughter, and reached out to hold her chin. She squirmed and hissed pawing weakly at the air as Aspen tucked the dispenser back in place and shot antidote down her throat. Coughing and squirming the creature flopped over panting hard. Seemed that was her last fight. Still awake but weak she watched Aspen and Merlin, wary and helpless.

  
“Merlin bring me the rest of my supplies and a hot washcloth please?”

He bowed and vanished with a soft pop as he teleported to fetch what she needs. Kneeling there Aspen could only think of all the ways shes done this poor creature wrong, but starting now is better then never. She reached out for her head. A soft hiss, but she doesn't move. Aspen placed her hand flat on the creations head feeling the soft fur and the heat underneath “You will feel better soon I promise” she pets as gently as she can as she begins to look over the rest of her. “A mess.. its a mess”

  
Merlin appeared at her elbow offering a steaming bowl of water and several rags “Thank you…” Aspen dipped one getting it just damp enough and began to wipe away at the dirt, just enough to get a sense of any other injuries. It closed its eyes letting out a heavy sigh. “there we go..” trying to sound soothing to this poor creature “Trust is earned I know… one step at a time” it was going to be a slow process, for every wound she uncovered and bandaged among her pale fur there was likely a dozen more to be undone in her mind. One step at a time.

***

It had taken most of the rest of the afternoon but eventually all of the wounds and injuries on the creature had been treated, sleeping through most of it thankfully. Only occasionally she would open an eye and watch Aspen work. She had no illusion that this calm was some kind of trust, but simply born of exhaustion. She worked until she too had gotten too tired, moving pillows and blankets over to the corner where the creature had decided to curl up. Before finally she took to bed herself for a fitful nights rest.

Morning came its fingers threading through the windows to find Aspen snoozing on her side, so calm she could almost forget where she was and what she was with. A gentle nudge came to her shoulder. She murmured but then came another. Slowly she opened an eye. Merlin hovered in the air beside her pillow holding a claw to his mouth in a shh gesture before he pointed. She followed the gesture without moving her head and could barely make out top half of the creatures head peering over the foot of the bed. Watching.

  
“oh!”

  
At the sound she bounded for her corner, crouched there and watching her with those far too large purple eyes. The bandages she had worked so hard on yesterday were at least all still in place, so that was something. Aspen sat up slowly tugging on the collar of the overlarge T-shirt she wore to bed as she tried to brush her hair from her face.

“I know you are intelligent.. your predecessor was reputably highly intelligent…”

A soft snort from the corner

“You aren't stupid… but you clearly haven't figured out language yet…”

 _“_ _shes mentally five years old Morgan.. even if shes physically an adult and she has been out of most human contact during that entire time.. she can communicate just not in your language is all, she knows only the wilds and whatever she was able to learn while she was in the tube…”_

“Which isn't much thanks to Hamilton”

 _“_ _regardless.. that is what you are working with”_

Aspen sighed and turned in the bed putting her feet on the floorboards “I bet you are hungry?”

A little head tilt

“hungry?”

_“visualize what you mean as you speak it… it will help with the basics”_

Aspen looked at the floating Alakazam “Is that how your kind figures it out?”

 _“Indeed…_ _and your creation there was coded with a little of my DNA was she not?”_ he tipped his nose up and huffed in pride.

“About ten percent, and even less of mine to make up the rest”

_“Excellent, then shes at least as smart as a human, she should be able to learn the same way”_

“Well thanks for the vote of confidence Merlin, I’m sure my subpar human intelligence wont be a hindrance to her” Aspen remarked dryly

 _“_ _It shouldn't be too much of a draw back, after all shes still mostly mew just like her predecessor”_ the fox faced Pokemon retorted without a scrap of irony.

She let out her own snort and rolled her eyes looking back at the giant white cat, still watching them both intently. “keep an eye on her I’m going to fix some food for all of us” Aspen got up and headed for the stairs. Not long after the sounds and smells of cooking started to come from the small kitchen below.

Merlin landed on the bed settling himself as he watched the being. At first she stayed put, but her nostrils flared smelling the food and slowly she crept out of her corner. Ears perked forward as she slinked on all fours to the railing and peered over. He watched her the entire time not stopping her.

 _“Its food.. for you”_ he motions to his stomach and sends her images of berries and eggs, things he was certain she had to have eaten in the wild. She tilts her head.

 _“food”_ he states again

She stayed in place sniffing the air her weird hands gripping the railing. Merlin's eyes going wide seeing long retractable claws press out of her finger pads as she leans over the edge.

A few clicks and Aspen starts coming back their way carrying a tray with a huge bowl of scrambled eggs, mixed chopped fruit and three bowls and silverware for at least herself. A pitcher of water and glasses as well.

Seeing her coming the creation scrambled back to her corner which made Aspen start a little but she kept coming anyway.

  
_“she was curious what you were doing..”_

  
“well she will figure it out here in a bit” Aspen moved to a space between the monster and the stairs and sat on the floor with the tray set between them. Merlin climbed down and sat with her letting Aspen serve him up a bowl. Summoning a spoon of his own with a little smirk he digs into the eggs. She served up an even bigger bowl and sets it out a little closer to the creation. Her own bowl in hand she sat there on the floor stabbing her fork into the food.

It lifted its head sniffing at them and slowly started to creep out towards them, keeping low to the ground. Aspen stared the floor trying to not spook it, quietly thrilled this was even working. Closer and closer still until she whipped a hand out and grabbed the bowl scattering some of its contents as she drug it back to her corner. Aspen just sighed over the sound of the creature stuffing her face into the bowl and devouring its contents.

  
 _“_ _Starved”_

  
“I know look at her I can see her ribs…”

  
_“She may need more…_

  
“there's more to have if I can get it to her”

Aspen dumped the remains of her meal into the larger bowl and started to crawl as she scooted the entire tray closer, picking up scattered food and plopping it on the tray as she went.

  
Her creation paused, egg all over her cheeks, as she stared the woman down. Aspen slowed, she knew if she pushed too hard things would get violent. Instead she moved the food closer and backed away again just as slow.

_“good.. she was about to jump you”_

“oh I know”

It sat there a few more moments sniffing the air before she lunged and grabbed the tray, gulping down the rest then grabbing the water pitcher and dumping that down her gullet as well.

“Ok then…”

She licked her hands and the bowl savoring every morsel on the tray leaving not a single scrap.

Aspen sighed and stood coming over to pick up the tray.

_“Morgan dont!”_

The warning came a second too late as a hiss and a white blur came at her just as she leaned down to get the tray. Pain shot up her arm and she stumbled back landing on the floor with a thud. She looked down to see blood from two puncture marks on her forearm bleeding freely. The creature was crouched over her nest staring at her with blood on her lip.

Merlin was beside her in a flash. _“_ _I tried to warn you..”_

“I know.. its my own stupid fault I shouldn't have done that. She was kind enough not to kill me at least..” She started to scoot towards the medical supplies she left in here seeing if she could at least treat the basics. Fumbling with the antiseptic at first till Merlin grabbed her hands and took the antiseptic and started helping her with the bandages.

  
 _“I’ve watched you do this enough by now”_ the Alakazam mused _“I could just heal this for you…”_

  
“no.. don't.. I want her to understand she hurt me. That's how children learn.” Aspen looked past him to the creation. It watched back its tail end flicking idly “I wont punish her, she wont understand.. just have to take this slow is all. I haven't earned her trust and to be honest I don't deserve it yet anyway.. not for what I’ve done to her”

 _“Self depreciation doesn't look good on you Morgan”_ he affixes the last bandage and nods stepping back to admire his work.

  
“Well its the truth…” she moves to stand up “come on lets give her some space and come back around to this later”

Aspen headed down the stairs leaving the creature to watch her depart the copper tang of blood still in its mouth.


	4. Birth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Powerful psychics share their dreams without trying.

_Warmth and darkness…_ _and pain... a womb with_ _no comfort._ _Theres_ _presences nearby, but the moment they are reached for they vanish. Alone, so alone_ _in this dark place,_ _but in dreams there's the smell of sweet rain… of mountains and forests.. of freedom and places with no name… but every time returns to the warmth and darkness and isolation. Over and over.. are those voices? Others? Alone? What is that soft chiming.. jingling like small bells…_ _bells?_

_Chains… another mind provides the word…_

_trapped… scared… pulse pounding... muscles stretch and body moves for the first time an overwhelming desire to BE..._

_We open our eyes… everything is blurred… the world is liquid and tinted a dark orange.. our heart pounds in our ears… a low hum throbs through the fluid... the taste of copper on our tongue. These words.. these things.. we had no word for them before… fluid.. chains… chains on our wrists... our hands bound.. our neck and feet. Chained and floating in this prison…  
Power...we feel it rising in our spine… shivering down our arms as we throw ourselves against the.. Glass.. fractures like splintered ice… a loud keening sound.. blue light… crackling and then… falling... collapsing... so heavy… we feel the metal grate against our knees... we feel the cold wet on our skin… freezing... shivering… we try to breathe and everything is thick... gagging choke up the fluid in our lungs and let out a soundless scream... we are born… the chains hold us but the thrill of freedom is too much and the metal snaps sending links scattering… they chime as they scatter free... unleashing our cursed incarnation upon the world. _

***

Aspen awoke in a cold sweat, blankets tangled around her like grasping arms, moonlight streaming in from the western windows. The hour was late and that nightmare was not her own…

It had been a week of the same routine, bringing food, water, tending too and trying to calm this savage beast she had taken in. She looked over, the creation was curled in the pillow heap in the corner, twitching in her sleep.

It took her a few moments, eyes rubbed, hair pushed out of face before Aspen pulled herself from bed and carefully made her way over a spare blanket in her hands. She was again grateful she had packed so many. Kneeling beside the sleeping form she laid it out carefully over her. There was a soft mrrp, breathless and mute like every other sound she had made. Aspen waited a few moments before she ever so carefully rested her hand on its wide head smoothing the thin fur as she started to pet.

The creature stretched and a soft barely audible rumble started in her chest. Aspen bit her lip, it was the first positive thing she had heard from the creature since they got here.

She continued to soothe, dreams seeming to calm. An eye opened and looked her general direction a second nictitating eyelid barely pulling away before closing again and drifting back to sleep. Aspen hummed softly, something she remembered her own mother doing once. Yawning she started to pull away getting up carefully as she went back to the bed and curled back up.

The creature stretched up under her new blanket and opened her eyes looking at the blanket and then up where Aspen had settled on the bed. She mrrped again and laid her head back down falling into a deep dreamless sleep.


	5. Progress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aspen gets surprised by how fast her creation learns.

_January 5_ _th_ _2010_

_Its been a month since I rescued subject AG1-M2 from the forest and brought her to the property. Things were rocky at first but I think I’m making headway with her. She hasn't spoken to me with her telepathy yet but shes learned gestures and seems to have finally accepted that I mean her no harm. Shes eating regularly now, but I can’t exactly weigh her to see if shes gained anything yet. She has allowed me to touch her but only very briefly on the head or arm. Startling her has thankfully not been an issue she always knows where I am at all times even if I’m being quiet._

_I am concerned however, her predecessor displayed significant powers from the moment of his birth. She did as well from what I could see in the lab footage, but has since then seemingly regressed. Merlin believes this is because of her relative age and development. That her powers currently will only manifest in times of dire need_ _thanks to her mental faculties being more hell bent on basic survival_ _for so long_ _. It would make sense. Alakazam rarely evolve outside of_ _captivity_ _where their basic_ _need_ _s_ _are constantly met. There’s no reason another psychic_ _wouldn't_ _end up stunted if put in a_ _similar_ _circumstance._ _According to reports from the hunter teams she could fly and manifest sudden crushing_ _telekinesis, but the larger things like the detonation of new island labs and later the manifestation of the permanent storm where he died on the same island? I have yet to see any sign of from her._

 _The danger in this is that with power_ _potential_ _so strong they could fly out of control and hurt herself or others_ _unintentionally._ _Thanks to the death of her predecessor we_ _don't_ _know fully how much power this being can bring to bear. I believe from my observations of her that she can be peaceful and only does harm on accident._ _I’m going to do my best to teach her basics before I ever consider training her but it is something I will absolutely have to do at some point._ _One step at a time._

***

Aspen looked up from the journal towards the loft. She could barely make out its form sprawled on the bed, belly up and sleeping. The image made her smirk. Very carefully she set the journal down and laid her pen on top of it before getting up to head into the kitchen. It was close enough to dinner to get started.

Shes not cooking long before she hears a creak from the overhead floorboards, but she remains focused. The creature has been very curious about the entire act of cooking, the last thing Aspen wanted to do was discourage it with a too early a glance.

Merlin sat up from the end of the couch groggily rubbing his face and froze. The massive white furred feline was crouched at the bottom of the stairs watching Aspen, tail swishing idly.

 _“Morgan…_ _”_

“I know.. shes right there isn't she?”

 _“yes…_ _should I move or?”_

“no… let her watch”

It was a simple dish some sweet potato, egg and meat over rice. Bland sure, but she wasn't sure how much her stomach could handle yet. Aspen served it up into bowls for the trio of them and turned slowly carrying them on a tray. She paused seeing where it had crouched before she shrugged and moved over to the coffee table “well come on its food time.. you know food right?”

To her shock it bobbed its head in an awkward nod and started to follow her over hanging back as she set the tray down and sat next to Merlin. He floated himself a bowl and started in stabbing a morsel on a claw and watching the creation out of the corner of his eye.

It stayed there hesitating watching Aspen pick up a fork and start in on her own meal leaving an unclaimed bowl on the table.

After a few more moments it crept over and settled across from them taking the bowl but not rushing off. Instead she mimicked Merlin plucking out food daintily. Aspen did her best to stay calm and just act like this was totally normal.

The entire meal went like this, calm and weirdly normal. So normal that without thinking Aspen reached over to take the now empty bowl from her. There was a quick movement and Aspen winced preparing for another bite. No bite ever came, instead a hand went around her wrist and held her there. As she opened her eyes she watched in awe as her creation traced the fading red marks on her forearm where she had bitten before. Looking to her own scars a few moments before tracing the healed wound on Aspen.

She looked up into Aspens eyes _“HURT?”_ the voice filling her skull somehow still melodic.  
Aspen winced “yes… yes it had hurt… but its ok.. you need to not be so… loud… control your power.. gentle please”

 _“_ _hurt?”_ came the much softer inquiry.

“That's better.. yes yes it did.. just like yours had hurt you…” Aspen sat back down and pointed at the scars on the beings arms “hurt…” she repeated and blinked “wait you understood what I meant by gentler?”

_“Even if shes not speaking she understands… I wager she will talk more as she becomes certain of the meaning of the words”_

“I see…”

_“This is a good thing Morgan… it means you are doing the right thing just by talking to her”_

“I know.. I’m just in awe is all”

It released her arm and looks up at her ears folded back _“S…. s.. sorry”_

“Its OK… apology accepted” Aspen smiled at her and patted that hand gently before she took the bowls away trying to covertly wipe away some tears on the back of her sleeve.


	6. Venture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> things happen when Aspen needs to leave for a bit

“Miss that will be two hundred and fifty three dollars and sixty two cents”

Aspen snapped back into reality and dug into her purse pulling out cash for it much to the shock of the grocery clerk. She gingerly accepted the money, counted it and opened the register to put it in.

“You OK lady?”

“Yes I’m fine just distracted” Aspen nodded to the bag to indicate putting the receipt in there and the clerk obliged watching her. She didn’t stick around to let more questions get asked grabbing her cart and pushing it for the doors, furtive glances to the sides at other customers.

Was that man looking at the postcard by the door really looking or was he watching her? What about that couple near the exit wiping rain off of a cart. Weren't they there when she came in?

Aspen paused as another store clerk was making an adjustment to the exit doors. She could feel eyes on her. Glancing around she caught sight of the long mirror where the store office likely was hiding. Blonde hair pushed up mostly into a knit cap, bulky hooded windbreaker coat, sunglasses on a rainy coastal day. No wonder the girl at the check stand was nervous, Aspen darling you look about ready to rob the place. She scolded herself the idea was to be LESS obvious not more.

The young man by the door clicked something into place and stepped back for her. “there sorry about that”

“don’t mention it” she muttered under her breath and hurried her way past out into the rain.

This was her first supply run out since moving out to the cabin and every paranoia was now alive and well in her head space. Did anyone here work for the company? Was the creation safe and behaving herself up at the cabin? She kept her head down and stomped her way out to the truck haphazardly loading the bags up against the cabin and into coolers to keep things that needed to be kept dry dry.

A screech made her jump as a flock of wingulls landed on nearby cars eyeing her grocery bags. Aspen froze. “No.. don’t you dare…” another one landed on the roof of the truck and screamed. With a frown she dug into her pocket and pulled out a pokeball, releasing Panthur into the back of the truck.

Three things happened at once- The gulls all screamed and took off. Panthur howled at being let out in the RAIN, but made a jump at the birds anyway. Lastly a gust of wind grabbed her cart and shuffled it across the rain slick parking lot.

Birds chased, Panthur jumped out of the truck and tucked herself under the vehicle, miserable and wet. Aspen ran after the cart and caught it dragging it back, dumped the rest of the supplies into the back let it go and opened the door for her pokemon who scrambled into the passenger seat.

By the time she got in herself she was soaked to the bone. “least the heaters work”

Panthur let out a mournful meow as Aspen rubbed her ears “I'm sorry… I haven't let you out in a while, not till I’m sure you can handle our guest.. you can ride in the truck though.”

The Persian could only mirf as Aspen starts up the truck and checks the rear view for any possible shadows.

***

A long ride back up into the hills through soggy forests later, Aspen finally parked the truck in front of the cabin and sighed listening to the patter of rain on the roof. Panthur peered out and let out a questioning mrow. Both of them finally dry from the debacle in the grocery parking lot.

“I know I know” she murmured as she rubbed on Panthurs back.

Finally getting the nerve she opened the door and hopped out into the rain. She paused a moment to listen for any engines. Nothing. Fairly certain they weren't followed she moved around back and started unloading the supplies, lugging them the short distance into the cabin. Panthur sprinted into the cabin to get out of the rain and Aspen silently cursed, stuck with arm loads of food she couldn’t just throw down to grab her Persian. After a couple trips she finally booted the door closed and moved everything to the kitchen to unload.

Panthur was busy sniffing the couch at least she wasn't causing trouble.

“Merlin? Is everything OK up there?”

Silence

Aspen frowned and continued to stack canned goods into the pantry “Merlin?”

not even a peep…

Her blood ran cold, setting down whatever she was holding she started for the stairs. Carefully she crept up till she saw the rumpled bed, the pile of pillows and blankets in the corner and neither Merlin or her creation anywhere in sight.

“Crap” she rushed in waving her arms around. Some psychics can go invisible after all, maybe? Just maybe. No, her absurd moments of interpretive dance didn’t find any unseen presences just empty air. She looked under the bed as if the big monster could fit under there, “Crap.. crap crap crap” she chanted as she started to look everywhere. She rushed downstairs and checked the bathroom, the pantry even though she had JUST been stocking it. Finally she burst out the back door into the small yard behind the cabin hemmed in by steep stone and hanging moss.

“MERLIN!” her shout echoed around weirdly here.

Aspen ran her hands through her hair feeling the panic rising. Did they find them? Did the creation turn on Merlin? What happened?

_“_ _Morgan calm down.. we are just in the cave…”_

“Cave?!” she shouted “What Cave?”

_“_ _Look to your right.. no lower… there's an opening behind the moss there.. yes keep going…”_

  
Aspen followed the mental instructions carefully brushing the moss out of the way revealing a cave mouth. Low enough she needed to stoop to step in. Once inside she could stand seeing that the mouth was long and low along the ground letting in light through a veil of vegetation. There were carved steps here leading down to a large deep pool shrouded in steam. In the center of the pool floated Merlin on his back a picture of calm.

“huh… I knew we had geothermal here but I didn’t know we had a pool this close… umm Merlin where is she?”

 _“_ _one moment..”_ he said without moving one iota.

Bubbles formed on the water, she watched a pale shape push its way to the surface. Breaking the water tension to take a deep gasp the creation looked up at her.

_“_ _Warm”_

Aspen sat down on the steps and sighed, dropping her face into her palms.

“I thought you ran away.. I thought someone had come for you..”

_“_ _She got curious about the surroundings so I brought her out here.. she found the cave on her own and I didn’t see any harm in letting her soak”_

“you scared the hell out of me…”

 _“Sorry…_ _I'm.. sorry”_ the creation came to the edge of the water and reached for her.

  
Aspen scooted closer and rested a hand on her head “its OK… you just scared me”

  
_“Why?”_

“because.. I don’t want anything bad happening to you.”

It blinked at her and looked back at Merlin then up at Aspen _“Thank you?”_

“You are welcome kiddo…. Look I need to get back inside and put away the rest of the food. Come in and get dry when you are done”

“OK…” she sank back into the water and moved back from the edge watching Aspen.

She got up and collected her shattered nerves again heading back out of the cave and into the kitchen trying to process what just happened.

_Its more then just making up for what you did Morgan... You care about her now don’t you?_ _And why shouldn’t you? Shes yours.. you made her…_

Aspen  gazed  out the kitchen window  her mind far away.

_They always warned_ _us_ _about getting attached to the lab animals..._


	7. One in a Million

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To name something is to know it.

_April 2_ _0th_ _2010_

_Its been a few months now and things are going well. Her vocabulary has increased by leaps and bounds and what started as single words has become two, then three, and now she uses broken sentences. While she hasn't put forth anything complex in her conversation with me she is at the very least able to get across needs and wants and questions._

_Merlin keeps reminding me that despite the way this language training is going, that it feels like I am teaching a young child,_ _but_ _she is still a grown adult. As if I can look at this nearly seven foot tall being over twice my weight and forget shes not an adult. But it is easy to forget.. that any childhood she could have had was taken from her in that tube. Her development sped along by science. That she spent 5 years out there in the woods becoming an adult in the way wild_ _pokemon do. But at the same time right now her language and understanding are so childlike. I guess its making up for lost time.  
Still he cautions me not to forget what shes capable of. I know all too well what she can do. __On the 2st_ _it will have been_ _6 years_ _since_ _emerged from that tube. In a way, its her birthday tomorrow_ _and_ _I’_ _m uncertain how to break it to her._ _I did get a small cake on the last supply run a couple days ago._ _It seems silly, but sometimes it’s the little things that can ground you, she needs meaning in this life even if its small…_ _what else does she have? Shes the only one of her kind on this earth. Alone as a species and no idea why shes even here…_

Aspen looked up from her journal to the other side of the room. The creation was curled up in the giant bean bag chair. A children's picture book in her hands as she flipped through slowly looking at the illustrations, ABC’s on the cover.

Setting down the journal Aspen stood up. “Hungry?”

The creature looked up from her book and nodded _“yes… egg and rice?”_

“No, I got fish for you today…” Aspen held her hand up as the beings eyes lit up “stay put its going to take a little bit.. I know you love fish… and well today and tomorrow are special days I think”

_“Special?”_ She tilts her head as she starts flipping through the book.

“yes I will explain over food” Aspen rolled her sleeves up and started her work in the kitchen.

Finding what she was looking for the being held up the book towards Aspen the letter F on one page and a cartoon fish on the opposing page. Some bold writing with it under the art.

_“Fish!”_

“Very good! You got it!” Aspen looked over and smiled. Her heart sinking at the little book as she remembered why she originally got it. She looked away “so… any other words you know yet?”

The creation tilted her head again and flipped through the book frowning.

_“Apple!”_

“yes good you like those…”

More page flipping _“water?”_

“Yes you like that too.. what are some other words for water?”

_“mmm… River, pond, lake, drink…. Ocean.. sea?”_

“which of those do you not drink?”

_“Ocean and sea!”_

“Very good! Anything else?”

Some more flipping, Aspen now focused on her prep. The silence stretched out making Aspen glance back. The being now sat up in the big squishy chair, her hand on a page frowning.

_“M…_ _”_

“its OK you can do it.. sound out the symbols like I showed you”

_“Moo… Mo… moth… Mother”_

Aspen felt a catch in her chest, the knife clattering to the cutting board.

_“_ _Did.. I do bad?”_

She took a deep breath and looked at the being. She had shrank back into the chair her ears laid back.

“no.. you did great” the food would keep a minute. Aspen stepped over to her and knelt by the chair “why did you pick that word?”

Merlin looked up from his spot near the window listening.

The big cat perked her ears back up. _“Because… I.. not certain what is? Are you.. mother?”_

That stab again “Are you asking if I’m A mother?”

She turned the book around and showed Aspen the drawing of a woman holding a baby in her arms. Arrayed around her was a Pikachu with a Pichu and a Snorlax with a Munchlax all in similar poses.

Aspen held her fist in front of her mouth trying to figure out where to go with this. “well a mother.. is someone with a child.. typically a female of their species to their baby… but not always.. its also a.. the role of someone who protects and nurtures someone younger”

The creature turned the book back around and looked at it _“Are you Mother?”_

“I.. was never a mother like in that picture.. a child of my own.. I couldn’t… I tried but I couldn’t”

_“why?”_

“its a long story for another time” Aspens voice at the edge of cracking.

_“Do I have mother?”_

Aspen stared into the distance. How do you answer this? “You.. don’t have one like that… you.. might remember.. being in… glass?”

The being stared at her _“yes”_

“But… if it helps.. in a way.. I am your mother.. not like this.. I know.. you don’t look like me”

She put the book down and stared at her odd three fingered hands. _“Because you protect?”_

“Yes.. partly.. and well… when you get more words I will tell you the rest ok?”

She nodded _“was I ever small?”_

“you.. you were” Aspen reached out and put her hands on the beings hands cupping them together about a foot apart “you were about this big at one point.. and even smaller.. but this is how big you were as a baby”

The creature continued to look at her hands now set at the right distance clearly picturing what it would be like to hold something like herself that was that small. _“in the forest.. I saw.. other beings.. who had small things with them… will I ever have a small thing? A baby?”_

Aspen sighed “A baby? No… Probably not… but again.. I will explain why later when you know more words ok? I promise?”

_“ok”_ she nodded her ears going back

_“Morgan.. since you are calling her a daughter.. perhaps you should give her a name?”_

_“_ _A_ _nam_ _e?_ _”_

Aspen let out a relieved sigh and silently thanked Merlin for the topic change. “Name.. its a word used to tell someone apart from another… Merlin is his name but he is an Alakazam.. my name is Morgan Aspen.. but I am a human. You have a species name.. Mewtwo…”

_“Mewtwo?”_

“Correct.. and you have a title of sorts… A G one M two… A generation one Mewtwo.. but that's not a name really.. you don’t want that.” Aspen glanced back at Merlin thinking “Its typical in genetics to be named alphabetically…” she picks up the book again flipping open to the first page. Apple. A… she looks back to Merlin considering a few moments as she taps the book on her knuckles before she looks up at the creation “I think I’m going to call you Avalon”

_“Avalon?”_

“Yes… do you like it?”

_“I… do.. yes… what.. does it mean?”_ Avalon peered at her maker taking the book from her to open to the first page.

“Its from a story, the same story I got Merlin from when I named him.”

_“She liked that story very much when she was a little girl.”_

Aspen grinned at Merlin “I did yes, so did you, that's why you didn’t mind being named after the powerful wizard even when you were still just an Abra. Big Dreams”

The Alakazam huffed and blew out his whiskers and settled into his spot.

Still peering at the page Avalon shook her head _“I don’t understand”_

“Well… in the story the king is wounded.. and to rest he’s sent to a magical island full of apple trees said to have healing properties.. and that place is called Avalon. Its a legendary place and you are a legendary being... it.. it will all make sense eventually”

_“Apples”_ she bobbed her head and closed the book setting it aside.

“Magical apples.. and kiddo you don’t really know it yet but trust me.. you are magic. One in a million.” she smiled at her strange daughter and stood up gently touching her shoulder. “now.. let me finish making that dinner for us ok?”

Avalon nodded mutely as Aspen went back to the kitchen. Staring down at her hands she wondered what mother had meant by all of that. One in a Million.


	8. Tradition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aspen tries to show Avalon a new tradition.

_Salt spray speckled her cheeks_ _and_ _the wind flowed along her body as she moved flying low over the ever changing landscape of waves. Above the sky was a canvas of colors orange, red, yellow, purple._ _She spun loops and turned to her side letting a hand trail along the water._ _There was no greater peace then to be between the sea and sky…._

Aspen opened her eyes and looked over at Avalon. She was sleeping soundly her tail twitching in dreams. “At least that was a nice one kiddo” she murmured as she got up and made her way downstairs. Today was the day and she wanted to at least try with this entire birthday business.

First she started preparing eggs as usual. She wasn't going to start this daughter of hers off with a sugar rush. Not today. By the time she was finished Avalon was already back in the beanbag chair looking content as she waited for her breakfast. At least she was used to this by now.

“Good morning Avalon. How did you sleep?”

_“Good!”_

“I'm glad. It looked like you were dreaming was it nice?”

_“_ _it was! I was flying.. and it was.. summer… yes warm time? And there was someone else there flying with me”_ Avalon held her feet as she spoke

“oh? Was it me?” Aspen served the eggs up into their respective bowls and moved over to the couch. Merlin joined her taking his food.

_“no…”_ she moved over taking a spot on the floor across from Aspen  _“it.. was another one.. like me. Are.. there others like me?”_

Aspen closed her eyes and sighed “I’m afraid not.. you are the only one”

_“But.. I saw another”_

“In your dreams kiddo. Dreams aren't real. Sometimes they involve real things. But they aren't really happening..” Aspen smiled sadly at her.

_“Oh…”_ she looked down into her bowl and started picking at her food  _“was there… ever others... like me?”_

“There was.. once…  just one other, he died before you were born.”

_“_ _How?”_

“His power.. it collapsed in on itself on the island where he was born leaving a permanent storm in its place. Most people only even know about him from the people that escaped after he had tricked them there. But he’s gone by all accounts. I’m sorry kiddo.”

Avalon nod ded and continue d to pick at her food in silence.  Not having anything great to say after that  Aspen did the same.

“hey… its not all bad… you aren't alone. You have us. We can look after you and teach you all you need. From what I understand he never even had that.” she set her bowl down and got up picking up a blanket from the couch, coming over to drape it over Avalon's shoulders. 

She nodded _“I understand.. thank you”_ she purred softly and having such a fluffy blanket set around her.

After a moments hesitation Aspen bent down and hugged Avalon around the shoulders careful of the second spine.

Avalon froze for a few beats, her creator freezing with her wondering if she had just made a terrible mistake. Yet her daughter relaxed finally and sighed hunching her shoulders a bit before Aspen let go.

“Sorry, you looked like you needed it.”

_“needed what?”_

“its called a hug... you do it to someone who needs comfort. Its supposed to calm you”

_“I was.. surprised.. but was nice”_

“good,  now.. come on I have some cake and candles and an odd human tradition I need to teach you about”

_“Cake?”_ she got up carefully stalking after Aspen  keeping the blanket around her shoulders.

“yes, you will love it trust me”

Aspen set about pulling the small cake from the fridge. It was plain white with berries artfully tucked around the bottom. She pulled down some plates and candles and took the whole set up into the living room and set it down on the table  after scooting the other plates aside . Avalon followed her sniffing at it ears forward in keen interest.

Sitting down she rested her hands on her knees “now… it is technically your birthday Avalon..”

_“Birthday?”_

Merlin  scoot ed over to Aspens elbow not one to miss out on sweets.

“Yes! Its something humans do to celebrate the passing of another year. The day each year we were born. And  six years ago today you were.. well.. you weren't born like everyone else but its as close to it as we can get..  since you came out of the tube fully grown... ”

_“_ _I remember….”_ she settled on the floor across from Aspen her ears laid back flat.

“I know… most don’t  remember, but we mark the passing anyway… look.. I know you are probably confused why I want you to celebrate something that.. hurt.. but look at it like.”  she shrugged “Its another year you made it. Against all odds  you made it” Aspen gives her a sad smile. “its also how we count our age… Like I’m thirty eight  years old right now… I was thirty two when you were born... and I was only twenty eight when I started on your project…” Aspen fell silent a couple beats letting that all sink in “You know what lets not worry about this right now” 

She ran her fingers through her hair and sighed fussing with the candles. 

_Should I put six because its been six years since she escaped? Or do I add the five years she was developing in the tube?_ _Making her eleven?_ _How DO I measure her age at this point?_ _Those development years gave her an adult body in record time but she had no experiences… has anyone EVER had to ask these questions? The original was maybe two when he tricked all those trainers_ _after building a frikin castle_ _… hell._

After a long session of internal debate she pick ed out six candles  and put them into the cake, lighting them with a match. Avalon leaned back at the sudden sulfur smell but watched intently. 

“ Now normally we sing but I have no singing voice and Merlin can only scream so... Happy Birthday Avalon. Now you make a wish…  and then blow out the candles. ”

_“wish?”_

“yes… think of something you want… and don’t tell me or Merlin or anyone. Keep the wish in your heart.”  Aspen tapped her own sternum.

The big cat blinked looking at the candles  _“just.. any wish?”_

“Anything you like! Once you decide blow out the flames...” she blew across her palm to demonstrate “...like that!”

She nodded staring at the candles a few moments before with a solid puff of air all six candles sputtered out. Aspen clapped for her smiling and Avalon smiled back  as her mother cut into the cake.

***

_Salt spray speckled h_ _is_ _cheeks_ _and_ _the wind flowed along h_ _is_ _body as_ _he_ _moved flying low over the ever changing landscape of waves. Above the sky was a canvas of colors orange, red, yellow, purple._ _There was no greater peace then to be between the sea and sky…._

Somewhere far away, the sound of wind howling and waves beating against stone, another being woke from a dream, the sweetest dream he had ever had. Flying  dreams were always nice, but this time he was joined by another like himself . Sitting up in the tangled blankets of his nest he stared down at his hands frowning. Hands like these? Deformed and twisted? But the being he saw didn’t seem twisted as they gracefully swooped in the air beside him.  Even in dreams his existence taunted him. To show him such a vision only to wake to bitter truth by daylight. He let out a  short chuckle and sighed dragging himself from the nest to go about his day to day. There were others here to look after, that counted on him, he did not have time to dwell on his minds longing misfires. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> in this AU OG Mewtwo still has new island and its structures because its cool. Instead of a mind wipe he made the trainers remember him dying instead. Changed being or not over Ash's sacrifice, Mewtwo is still very dramatic and on some level wants to be known.


	9. Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2 years later Aspen comes clean

_April 21st 2012_

_Its been a little over two years now since I brought Avalon to this new home. Two years since I left my job and what was left of my life behind and came out here to the middle of the woods to just... I don’t know try and make things right? The good news is it seems to be working._

_In this time I have gotten her to eat on her own, groom bathe and see to her needs, she even knows how to cook a few simple meals. More important though she has learned to speak, well not out loud she seems to have only rudimentary vocal chords at best and I’ve only heard her purr and make a few strained squeaks and low growls. But her telepathy has developed rapidly along with the rest of her language centers. Its as if her mind was simply waiting for a teacher and has devoured every lesson I could hand her. Her natural intelligence along with her thirst for knowledge has been a force I cant get away from. Every book on the shelf has been read and I had to go pick up a few on my last trip out of the grotto. I wager to say her reading level has caught up nearly to mine._

_Speaking of the grotto she has run of this place now and I have shown her the limit of the property, warning her against venturing further for now till we can get her to understand some of her powers a little better. Which I need to do soon… that keen mind of hers is going to grow bored of this place eventually, and as much as my separation pay has kept me going its going to run out. I hear they are hiring a professor at the local university. If I try for it I will need to move closer into town and find a way for her to exist closer to humans with no issues. God.. this isn't going to be easy._

Aspen set her pen down and looked across the room. Avalon had herself curled up in the beanbag chair that shes claimed as her own, a book in her lap and cartoons playing on the TV that neither were really paying attention to. She smiled not certain if her strange daughter really knew it was her birthday today. Slowly she got up and headed for the kitchen starting to prep dinner and eventually some cake as shes done now each time. Merlin looked up from his own book and Panthur looked up from her nap near the fireplace as she walked by.

She wasn't in the kitchen long when she heard the TV click off.

_“_ _Mother?”_

Aspen smiled looking over her shoulder “yes kiddo what is it?”

Avalon was there standing at the entrance of the kitchen holding that book in her hands frowning down at its pages. _“I have.. questions…”_

“What sort of questions?”

Avalon fell silent for a few heartbeats staring at the book.

Shutting off the water she stepped over “Avalon, tell me whats wrong? I cant read minds but I can tell something is bothering you”

She turned the book around in her strange hands showing an illustration of a small pink feline floating over a river in what looked like a primeval forest. The text on the opposite page spelled it out for her.

_“_ _Mew, thought to be extinct, this Pokemon is theorized to be the ancestor of all Pokemon on the planet. Legends state that it was worshiped as a god by many early cultures and was considered a test of the heart of any human who might encounter it”_

Aspen found herself frowning at the page, she should have checked the paleontology book before she grabbed it.

_“_ _Mother.. what does this mean?”_ She squinted down at her creator trying to look annoyed but the way her ears lay back it was clear to Aspen she was worried, nervous even.

“lets.. sit down ok?” Aspen stepped past her to sit on the couch.

After a moment Avalon followed, setting the book down on the table open before sitting down herself, back against the armrest and knees pulled up to her chest as she watched her mother.

“so… I guess now is as good a time as any.. I’m sure you have a lot of questions.. and.. its your birthday kiddo.. and a tradition we have been skipping is one where we give gifts… and this year I guess its knowledge I’m going to give you. Are.. you sure you want to know?” Aspen set her hands in her lap trying to stay calm. This was not going to be easy for either of them.

The end of Avalon’s tail twitched as she leaned forward a little _“Mother.. what.. Am I?”_ her eyes downcast at the question she closed them her brows furrowed, jaw clenched _“What am I? What is Mew? Why is that part of my species name? Am I related to it? Are my kind extinct? How come I don’t look like it if I’m related to it?”_ She opened her eyes again and stared at her creator a bit of tears gathering _“I’ve seen my reflection in lakes and ponds, I’ve seen my reflection in the mirror here.. and even if I hadn't I…”_ she looks down at herself and shakes _“I can see that I’m like no one or nothing else I’ve ever encountered… What am I?”_

Aspen could feel her heart cracking in half again. To see this being so pained by these questions. The answers were going to hurt worse but it was better then leaving them unsaid. She slowly leaned forward and rested her hands on Avalon’s forearm. “Lets get these one at a time”

Avalon nodded but continued to watch her.

“Let me see.. for one.. that book is correct.. Mew is the ancestor of all Pokemon.. of all the animals on the planet.. including distantly.. humans. Some say that mew has the DNA of all the other life on the planet within it.. but that's not quite right… everything has a little bit of Mew in it. You remember what DNA is right? I taught you what that was?” Aspen patted her arm.

The creation nodded looking at least more invested then stressed _“A blueprint.. inside every piece of a living thing from_ _a drop of its_ _blood to_ _a flake of its_ _skin”_

“Very good yes… now.. you are related to it.. yes.. very closely related to it.. closer then anything else in the world”

_“_ _how? Are my kind extinct?”_ Avalon’s eyes shiny again from the gathering tears.

“Not.. exactly..”

_“_ _Was there only ever one other and its gone?_ _Am I really_ _the only one?”_

Aspen opened her mouth and shut it again looking down “You are… but… wait hold on!”

Avalon recoiled from her clutching her hands to her chest _“I’m…_ _really..._ _alone?_ _How? Why? I..._ _”_

“no no no.. listen.. I've told you before... you are not alone… you have me.. Merlin even Panthur but I need you to slow down and listen ok? It will make sense when I’m done I promise please just be patient.” Aspen touched her forearm again trying to calm her.

The creation nodded slowly but stayed withdrawn her mouth set into a grim line.

“Your species isn't extinct so much as it has only existed within my own lifetime”

That at least got her attention. She tipped her head to the side waiting.

Aspen sat back running her fingers through her hair. “okay… so you know how you have dreams about.. glass.. and waking up?”

A slow nod

“Mew.. is extinct as far as we know… the trouble is its very powerful.. even if it was still alive out there its assumed it could turn invisible or transform or any number of other abilities along with being able to fly.. we would never be able to find it unless it wants to be found”

She was dancing around the topic and Avalon knew it.

Aspen sighed again “The first of your kind was created around fifteen years ago. Some very powerful men with a lot of money and resources decided they wanted the strongest Pokemon in the world at their beck and call… the stories go, nothing was stronger then mew.. but it was long gone or at least impossible to find” She scooted the book closer looking at the drawing “so.. they found a fossil and extracted the preserved DNA from it.. the blueprint.. and set to work”

Avalon nodded and pulled the blanket from the back of the couch pulling it over herself

“The blueprint wasn't whole unfortunately.. as is expected when you preserve things in stone for countless millennia.. AND these powerful men wouldn't settle for the power of mew, they wanted stronger”

_“_ _how.. could they get stronger then… that?”_

“They experimented for a long time, tried different combinations, had a lot of failures, before they found the correct combo of DNA… see... humans have figured out how to edit that code inside all life.. And we can do it in a way where we pick and choose what traits are in the thing we create. The first of your kind was mostly mew with some Alakazam and.. a little bit of human…”

_“Human…”_ Avalon blinked and looked up at Aspen _“_ _so.. people made him… he was new... an entire new species?”_

“That's correct, he was the first of your kind and they called him Mewtwo… a continuation of Mew.. an improvement of Mew.”

_“_ _what happened?”_

“Well… once they were finally successful he eventually woke up.. and in his pain and rage he destroyed the labs that created him and everything inside” Aspen watched her daughter and recognized the flinch “Just like you did.. perhaps not as volatile, you didn’t blow up the building, but you certainly left carnage in your wake”

Avalon nodded _“I remember… and I remember you saying he died…”_ she curled even tighter on herself.

“he did… a couple years after he was born he lured humans to the island of his birth.. a place he had changed to match his needs and during the battles that ensued there he.. destabilized and died leaving a giant storm around the place… that was before you were born”

_“_ _what about me then? Where do I come from?”_ she looked up at her creator, her mother, begging for truth she didn’t want.

With a sigh Aspen continued “Everything in the labs was destroyed but only an idiot doesn’t keep back ups of their work offsite… and these powerful men who spent a lot of time and money on him didn’t want it to go to waste, so they sold all of the information to different powerful men with money who then in turn built a lab and hired.. me”

_“_ _you?”_

“yes… Avalon… I’m the one who created you… and before you ask.. the human DNA inside of you?” Aspen reached up and ran her fingers through her hair getting a loose one free, holding it up to show Avalon the length of gold. “The human inside of you comes from me”

_“_ _Just like the Alakazam in you comes from me”_ Merlin murmured from his spot.

Avalon looked back at Merlin then back at Aspen again _“so… you_ _are not_ _my parents but...”_

“I mean no we aren't your parents… but at the same time yes, as close as you get… I know its all weird… it was samples taken from us.. the DNA spliced and recombined with the mew DNA we had. And I want you to understand something... You are not a clone of the original. No more then you are a clone of Mew or he was a clone of Mew. You are a unique being. The files my company received were just that… files.. not a shred of his DNA was used in you. We had to track down another mew fossil. This one was a piece of amber from way up north. A scrap of fur preserved in tree sap. We followed the notes from Doctor Fuji to the letter.. did everything the same… the procedures were nearly identical, but your genetic material is all your own. The mew fossil… the alakazam… the human were unique in the combination that it is You! Think of it like…” she shrugged her shoulders looking around the room before she glanced back to the kitchen “baking a cake with different ingredients but following the same recipe”

Avalon gazed down her eyes unfocused.

“Are you ok?”

Without moving Avalon simply said _“Why?”_

“why.. what?”

_“_ _Why was I made? You said he was made to be strong.. what was I made for then? You didn’t say…”_ she looked up at her as her brows knit together.

“You are certainly strong Avalon… no doubt about it.. you need training to get a full handle on your abilities.. but already you can fly… you can speak telepathically.. you have nearly limitless potential. Heck you have likely manifested abilities I don’t even know about yet”

Avalon looked away from her frowning before she held out her hand a vase on a shelf floating over to her. In it were a dozen dried flowers. One she plucked out and set the vase aside holding the dead flower in her hands her eyes began to glow gold, light spilling out of them, growing in her chest to flow down her arms. Slowly the flower began to move, green returning to its leaves and color to its petals, eventually leaving Avalon holding a very much alive flower in her hands that she offered to Aspen.

Floored, Aspen accepted it staring at it “Like.. that yes.. yes that counts as something you can do I didn’t know about”

_“_ _In the forest I used to make flowers bloom all the time…”_

“Okay.. well.. yes.. you are powerful.. and..”

_“But was that why I was made?”_ she cut her off leaning in.

“n.. no not exactly… it was.. medical research… they thought the true genius in your creation was not the power.. but the wealth from making medicine from your body…” Aspen bit her lip hating that answer but it was the ugly truth.

Avalon’s nostrils flared as she let out a heavy breath _“Medicine? I was to be.. picked apart to sell.. for medicine?”_

“That.. was what they wanted yes.. if they had a super powerful Pokemon at their call even better.. but they were content harvesting from you which they thankfully never got the chance to do”

_“I…_ _”_ the creation looked at her hands _“I was a thing to be.. used.. to exist to be.. culled.. harvested…”_ she looked up at Aspen her eyes narrowed to slits _“You! How DARE you make me! How DARE you do this to me!! Bring me into the world to suffer! Bring me into the world Alone!”_

“Wait.. Avalon listen there's a lot you don’t understand!”

_“_ _I’ve heard ENOUGH!”_ the creation floated off the couch, glowering down at her maker with fire in her eyes. _“You did this to me! You made me! And now you think you can just make things right with kind words and sweets!”_

Aspen stood on the couch and grabbed Avalon by the wrists “Avalon PLEASE listen!”

Avalon froze, time seemed to slow, the hands around her wrists circling the scars, the metal around her wrists.. chiming softly… the orange fluid around her.. glass shattering… screams.. the cold floor… pain.. so much pain.

There was a high pitched whine followed by a deep whelm as Aspen was pitched back against the wall with unseen force. She collapsed to the floor dazed. The flower dropping on the floor next to her.

Avalon floated there in the middle of the cabin her entire body shaking, trapped in the memories of her birth. A soft mreow brought her back as Panthur jumped over and stood over her trainers fallen form.

The creation blinked, realization dawning on her. With a mental screech she spun in the air and flew out the door. It nearly shattered with the force of her telekinesis as she passed. Her pale form vanished out into the night.

Slowly Aspen came back to finding clawed hands helping her sit up.

_“_ _Easy Morgan she gave you a nasty bump”_

“Merlin.. what.. what just happened?”

_“_ _She attacked you…”_ gold light came from his palms washing over her head making her feel a little better

“yes but... but.. why?”

_“_ _I don’t know.. but once I am certain you are alright I am going to go find her I have a few things to say”_

Aspen nodded drunkenly and rested her head back “please… I cant let anything happen to my daughter” she reached over and carefully picked up the flower where it had fallen. This living thing once dead. A bloom returned to life.


	10. Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin has a little chat with his not-daughter.

The wind howled down the coast bringing with it biting cold, unseasonably late for the spring. Ice mixed with the rain as it pattered down on the cliff overlooking the churning sea. Its cause stood there staring down at the water and rocks below. The things she felt inside screaming louder then any wind.

Avalon shivered, but not from the cold, letting the memories and information she just learned clash through her. How DARE she do this.. what right did she have to create her.. HER... this life she never asked for… She shouldn’t be here. She shouldn’t even exist.. yet here she was.

 _“_ _Dark thoughts lead down Dark roads Avalon…”_

The familiar voice murmured through her mind. Avalon didn’t turn around _“did she send you?”_

 _“_ _No.. I came on my own”_

Avalon nodded still looking out over the sea.

Merlin stepped up next to her _“your psychic signature is like a lit beacon right now you were easy to find”_

 _“_ _oh?”_

_“yes.. you are in turmoil.. and unfortunately that puts you in danger… do you really think the people responsible for your existence wouldn't take the chance to reclaim you?”_

Avalon looked down at him finally lifting a brow.

Merlin shrugged and looked out over the water with her _“The answer is- they would. Are they looking for you? Maybe.. maybe not… Morgan did a good job covering up your survival, but eventually they may come calling”_

 _“_ _what would happen then?”_

 _“_ _Nothing pleasant I assure you…”_

 _“Maybe I want that”_ she sniffed looking back out over the water folding her arms and letting her tail lash.

Merlin let out a soft chuckle _“You think that… and you might believe that.. but I assure you you do not”_ he wiped away some rain from his whiskers and floated around in front of her hovering cross legged over the roaring sea.

 _“_ _What could they do to me? According to mother_ _I’_ _m the most powerful being in the world”_

Merlin smiled _“you have the potential to be yes… the raw power… but you aren't there YET Avalon and you wont get there without some help.”_

 _“_ _I don’t need your help.. or hers”_ Avalon looked away with a snort doing her best to ignore the cold.

 _“Oh…_ _Spoken like a child... you really do not know_ _the way of the world_ _... You are young and it shows.”_

She let out a soft growl _“_ _I've survived on my own!”_

 _“You didn’t look very well when we found you in th_ _e_ _woods…”_

Avalon snorted and glared at him _“It was a mistake.. did you come out here just to mock me?”_

 _“Hardly…_ _does telling you the truth make you feel mocked?”_

Avalon just glared at him _“I could crush you”_

 _“_ _Maybe so... but would that make you feel better? Would that take away your pain?”_

The creation looked down into the sea and didn’t answer.

 _“_ _Would killing me solve anything except to make your ego feel good for a few fleeting moments?”_

Avalon sighed letting her shoulders slump _“no… it wouldn't”_

 _“_ _I thought not… you are better then that…”_ He continued to hover there looking her in the eye _“You may have nearly limitless potential but any being no matter their strength can be brought low.. you were taken down by simple poison, your predecessor by his own hubris and strength, countless others in the march of time have fallen when they thought themselves strong… powerful.. invincible… Power is meaningless next to the will to use it.. and will is still a victim of fate and circumstance... you can win a thousand battles, but you only have to lose one.”_

Ava looked past him down into the water again _“so what you are saying is the humans could still get me.. no matter how strong I am?”_

 _“_ _You sleep don’t you? You bleed and breathe and eat? You have moments where you are not wary and ready? Yes.. yes they could._ _I’_ _m not saying it would be easy.. certainly not.. but any puzzle can be solved.. and humans are VERY clever. Do NOT underestimate them Avalon. They brought life from a stone… they whispered their secrets to it and created new beings from nothing. In time nothing will be beyond them.”_

 _“_ _You sound like you admire them?”_

Merlin tipped his head at her _“_ _Perhaps i_ _n a way I do, their tenacity, their brilliance and their foolishness. They are just smart enough to build and create and peer into the workings of life and reality.. but not wise enough to question if they should”_

 _“_ _I shouldn’t be here…”_

_“No.. likely not”_

Avalon looked up at him in shock.

He smiled at her _“But…_ _you are here NOW. No one,_ _NO ONE asked to be born. Not me, not Morgan, and most certainly not you, its the nature of life. But are you going to squander it?”_

 _“_ _I.. guess not?”_ She looked away giving herself a shake to get rid of some of the rain.

 _“_ _I know its all upsetting news. You need to understand some things Avalon… whatever you think happened to bring you into existence is likely wrong. Do not judge Morgan from this side of the_ _history_ _. You we_ _re no_ _t there when this started…”_

 _“_ _But you were?”_

He moved in and landed on the cliff top moving around her to look inland at the soggy forests hands folded behind his back. _“I was a Kadabra still when the project started._ _Your project._ _I've been with Morgan since I was an Abra… and she was a young trainer with stars in her eyes_ _when I was given to her. I have known her almost all of my life and I suspect I will be with her to the very end.”_ He glanced back at her. Avalon had turned to watch him listening intently.

 _“_ _Morgan always wanted to help people.. she wanted to heal…_ _after she had decided training wasn't really for her she went into biology… and then genetics..._ _when she was hired that's what they told her they were doing.. medicine…_ _To help people.. to help the world. I_ _t wasn't till she was in too deep that she_ _realized_ _what was happening._ _S_ _he thought maybe she could help you too... that everyone would get what they wanted. They could get their medical research and you could have a life.. but they wouldn't listen._ _S_ _he tried so hard to help you_ _._ _She wanted to pull you from the tube as an infant and raise you. She wanted to do so many things but she simply couldn’t.”_

Avalon looked at the ground starting to feel the cold. Wrapping herself in a hug.

 _“T_ _hings.. happen… Our best plans fall through.. our intentions skewed…_ _people do things with no idea how it will turn out.. its called a mistake and the idea is to learn from them. Morgan learned from hers that's why shes out here helping you_ _now_ _.. she could have let them have you and never looked back but she didn't._ _She cant undo the past, but she can work for a better future._ _”_

 _“is she.. okay?”_ Avalon’s mental voice had gone very quiet.

 _“_ _From your attack? Shes fine… just a little dazed but she will be ok_ _ay_ _I made sure of it”_ he turned and stepped up to her looking up into her face _“we should get inside.. the rain is lifting but its still cold. Come on”_

Avalon nodded, slowly stepping away from the cliff with him, the storm clouds gradually beginning to clear.


	11. Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The past is dragged out into the light.

Wood creaked in the wind. The door barley hung onto its hinges, but it was enough to hold back the chill outside. Aspen watched it cupping a mug of tea in her hands as she waited. A stack of paperwork now sat on the coffee table with a single unmarked vhs tape sitting on top of it, pinning down against the occasional draft that managed to make its way inside.

She was worried of course, how could she not be? But all she could do was wait.

Eventually, out the front windows she could see a darker form drop out of the sky landing in front of the door. It stepped up to the door and paused opening it with a heavy creak.

“Avalon!”

The creation paused looking at the door and her hand glowed gold, knitting the shattered door back into one piece. A quick test on its hinges and she nodded satisfied before stepping in allowing Merlin in behind her.

The Alakazam smiled at his trainer before going over to his usual window seat allowing them their time.

Avalon pushed the repaired door closed and stood there looking down at her creator her tail swaying behind her. The silence stretched out as they stared each other down.

Merlin let out a soft cough from his corner.

Avalon sighed and came over to the couch sitting down _“I’m.. sorry… I don’t know what came over me… I just”_

“Avalon its okay…”

_“_ _are you_ _though? Ok_ _ay_ _?_ _”_

“yes.. thanks to Merlin… you coulda given me a concussion, but luckily he was here”

The big cat nodded looking down at her hands _“_ _I’_ _m still sorry… I shouldn’t have attacked you…”_

“Apology accepted… do you want to talk about it… or anything else?”

The creation sighed and looked at the table and the new pile of paperwork there. _“what is that?”_

Aspen looked at the pile on the table. “Things I took with me when I left Nuvo Biotechnology Solutions… the company that funded your creation”

_“_ _oh”_

“It.. might explain things better then I can if you want to look through everything.. but it wont be easy reading”

Avalon looked at the pile of on the table as if it might bite her.

With a gentle pat to Avalon’s knee Aspen got up letting her decide when would be the right time to look. The sound of water running came from the kitchen as Aspen started on dinner again. After a few moments Avalon reached over and picked up the first ream of paper.

***

_AG1-M2 Project_

_Dr Morgan Aspen_

_Personal notes_

_6/15/1999_

_Today I was given the salvaged documents and notes from a failed project. Initial reviews of it are interesting to say the least. When I was hired into the bio sciences division here I never dreamed I would be part of something so groundbreaking. Still.. I am uncertain about this. Had I maybe started from scratch like they had I would have more control. But on the same token being able to pick up where they left off is going to save what would have likely consumed the rest of my life in research now compressed down to a couple years. My supervisor has already asked for a timeline. 5 years. I bet I can produce results in 5 years maybe less. The amount of useful data we can get from a second pass on this will be phenomenal. I just hope ours doesn’t end so tragically. It’s a shame the original subject is deceased._

_6/30/1999_

_Lab is finally set up. Technology has improved somewhat since the first iteration of this project. The main chamber is set and everything is ready. Even though it will be SOME TIME before we even put anything in the main incubation chamber it's good to be ready. I’ve already mapped the sequence we need from the mew fossil in the amber and spliced in the needed DNA that was missing from the sample. Like before we are using Alakazam and Human to fill in the rest._

_8/27/1999_

_Our first subject was transferred to incubation today. We could not have predicted what happened. There was sudden rapid cell growth and we had to shut down the process. The amorphous blob that came out was… alive somehow. It was handed over to another portion of the lab for study and I was ordered to begin again._

***

Avalon read each line sometimes twice to absorb all she was seeing. Me… this was.. me.. how I began… An entry gave her pause _“Amorphous blob?”_

Aspen nodded as she worked at the stove “Ditto… the failures all turned into Ditto… from Doctor Fuji’s notes they had the same thing happen. The odd mix of DNA in your creation often didn’t set correctly.. enzymes didn’t fire off at the right time.. RNA came unraveled or destabilized.. And since all animals contain mew and your sequence was mostly mew in the absence of structure it reduced to a base form that could shape shift and little else. In fact I’m pretty sure ditto didn’t even exist until the first experiment began”

The creation nodded looking down at her hand and over her body suddenly feeling very fortunate. She picked the papers back up and continued. Entry after entry outlined the failures. Around 20 in total over the span of a year. Until...

***

_6/20/2000_

_It's been almost a year and countless subjects have been failures. What is the magic ingredient that we are missing? The notes from the other project had similar problems but no mention how it was overcome. Due to personal issues I’ve been ordered to take a week of leave._

_6/30/2000_

_I’m taking the risk. I am taking from myself and Merlin instead. He evolved just for this and he didn’t have to. But I’m grateful he did. They ordered it to be female and by god if I’m not going to just make her mine. What's the use in worrying anyway? If things go the same as before I am a dead woman anyway._

_7/15/2000_

_Initial cells seem stable. Tentatively hopeful._

_8/27/2000_

_Transferred the zygote to the primary incubation chamber today. The entire lab held its breath and then? Nothing happened. No cell growth. No alarms. Just silence and a heartbeat detected. SUCCESS! Subject AG1-M2 seems stable. Just a little behind schedule._

***

Avalon looked up as Aspen came into the room with bowls of stir fry, setting one down for her daughter as she settled into the end of the couch.

She watched her mother a few moments before speaking _“what happened?”_

“what do you mean kiddo?”

She frowned and shook her head setting down the papers in favor of her food _“You mention taking time off.. and Merlin evolving for you before you decided to.. use your own DNA… I can read between the lines… what happened?”_

Aspen stared into her bowl and nodded as if she had decided something “I told you how.. how I would never be a mother? Do you remember that?”

_“_ _I do… but you never explained”_

“Well I’m about to” she let a look of pain wash over her before she shook it off. “I was married when the project started. My husband also worked at Nuvo and we were doing well. But he wanted a baby.. frankly so did I…” glancing back at the shelf of kids books she clenched her jaw “We had been trying but… as it turns out I’m unable to have kids.. I’m infertile.. irreversible.”

Avalon laid her ears back.

“When we got the news from my doctor.. it was devastating… but Mark.. my husband.. decided that I wasn't worth keeping if I couldn’t give him a son or daughter. So he left me. Started dating some intern and asked for a transfer to another project.”

_“_ _Don’t cry Morgan, Mark wasn't worth the tears and never was.”_

“Merlin NEVER liked Mark… and honestly I shoulda listened to him.”

Merlin could only snort from his corner.

_“So…_ _it was just you and Merlin and Panthur then?”_

“yes it was… Merlin saw how stressed I was and well.. offered to do what was needed to make him evolve so we could use his DNA instead of the stale samples they kept sending us. And since I couldn’t have a kid.. a daughter of my own.. well in that moment I decided YOU would be my child... not from me entirely... but enough to count.”

_“_ _enough to count”_ Avalon echoed looking into her bowl.

“If it counts it counts… I will do my best for you Avalon no matter what. I made you. And had I been given a choice.. well.. keep reading when you are done you will see”

***

_1/21/2001_

_I have been informed we will not be taking the infant from incubation on schedule despite my protests. Raising it from infancy would avoid so many of the issues they faced with the original. But “we need an adult subject sooner than later” What’s 5 or 10 more years vs the possibility of the destruction it could inflict? Director Hamilton says I have been emotional compromised. That I’m looking at this project like a pet. I say if we want it to listen to us we have to treat it right._

  
  


_3/07/2001_

_On top of the nutrient tubes they implanted along her spine and other vital spots they have also installed restraints. This is their genius solution to the rearing issue. This will not end well._

  
  


8/01/2001

_She had touched my mind before. But only curiosity.. nothing truly sapient but more like a plant seeking light. This time it was the screaming of an injured child. I tried to sooth her but the other lab techs sedated her before I could get anywhere._

  
  


***

_“_ _Restraints?”_

“Chains… they chained you in your tube. As if that would stop you.”

Avalon looked over her wrists rubbing the scar tissue lightly _“I remember the chains… I had them with me for months before I could break them off. The skin raw and then healed into this…”_

“you can regenerate… but you apparently hadn't figured that out yet and so you had to heal slow… That and all the other marks on you.. same thing. Some had to be done like the scars for the nutrient tubes that fed you.. others not so much. The chains were barbaric and I’m sorry.. I tried to get them to remove them but they refused” Aspen gave her head a miserable shake “there's a little more to go kiddo…”

She reached over and picked up the last few pages. There were page after page of notes spanning four more years. Notes of her growth and development lacking much else. But eventually…

***  
  
  


_4/21/2004_

_Last night there was an incident at the lab. I was notified in the early AM that subject AG1-M2 escaped. They lost track of her in the mountains. I have not been called upon as of yet to seek her out. But I will be.. I will be ready._

  
  


_12/02/2009_

_Called upon to corner subject AG1-M2. They had set some poisoned meat out into the forest where they suspected she had taken up shelter. Merlin and I set out first having been tracking her signature for a while now. Regretfully, by the time we found her she had suffered connective tissue error and there was little to nothing left. I tender my resignation today. I am done with this._

  
  


***

Avalon set the papers down and placed her face into her hands. It was a lot.. too much. A hand rested on her shoulder.

“I said it wouldn't be easy… but would you rather not know?”

The creation lifted her face from her hands tears running along her cheeks _“no.. I needed to know”_

Aspen reached over and picked up the VHS tape and moved to go put it away.

_“_ _Wait!”_

She looked back those large purple eyes wide as she stared at her _“What is that?”_

“this… is… I don’t think you want to see this.”

_“_ _yes I do.. what is it?”_

Aspen bit her lip and came back over setting the unmarked tape down placing her hand on it like it might run away “this.. is the lab footage they gave me from the night you were born”

Avalon hesitated before reaching for it _“I may as well… see everything.. I remember that night in flashes.. nothing.. concrete”_

“You are going to remember a lot more after this… I need you to promise me something” she picked up the tape and held it up “If you watch this you will not lash out… you can be angry.. upset.. sad.. you can scream.. you can thrash.. but do not hurt me, Merlin, or this house. If you need to go out and destroy a sea spire on the ocean that's fine but please remember this is your home and we are here to help you okay?”

She nodded slowly and settled back into the couch steeling herself for what was sure to be a very bad time.

  
  


***

_The feed was oddly grainy but it could still be seen. A dim lab filled with the sounds of bubbles and machines ticking away as they record readings. The labs techs all stood far away from the tank and wore special helmets, avoiding any contact with what was within the tube. The soft jingling of chains can be heard in the tank filled with viscous orange red fluid. Inside she was lashed and restrained by the arms, legs, and neck._

_She curled on herself squirming in the tank and kicking as if in a dream before slowly she opened her eyes._

_No one noticed at first as she peered around the room from her tube, nose working eyes searching through the glass before they glow slightly, finally one of the workers noticed._

_"It's awake..."_

_"Keep silent. Do not let it hear you."_

_She responded, squirming and opening her mouth to let out a silent scream, making the fluid bubble. She reached a hand out and collided with the glass with a short jerk of ringing chains. She paused and tried again. Her chest can be seen in fast compression as her movements get more and more chaotic. The film gets extra static. The staff start to panic scrambling for coms._

_"She's moving! Call the security team!"_

_"Foxtrot Tango Nine, we need aid in the main labs. Subject Alpha is awake and moving!"_

_There was a sound like a flash bang. That high keening like the audio was overwhelmed and a bright light. When the sound and video cut back in there's the sound of shattering glass and a grotesque wet splat._

_The techs stumbled around holding their heads and there she sat curled up on the floor of her now shattered chamber, shivering and steaming. She started to sit up as the techs got their senses back. She retched up more of the fluid from her lungs and taking her first breath of real air with a soft reedy scream._

_The feed went to static again and the techs all frozen in place staring for a couple beats before the armed guards come rushing in from a side door aiming for the pedestal._

_She slumped to her side, panting hard and rattling her chains. The wheezing of her newly used lungs is palatable even over the recording. She flicked her ears and slowly tried to sit up again pawing at the edge of the pedestal._

_One of the team members jerked and his gun went off. Its hard to see as she jerked her hand back. And then suddenly everything is happening at once. Her eyes blazed with power and the feed crackled. She lunged at the people, straining on her chains, hissing in rage, fangs bared. Again that raw semi silent scream. The gun that was fired suddenly crumpled in on itself like it was smashed in an invisible fist and then they all opened fire as she began to frenzy to get free. The techs scrambled to get out of this nightmare. She screeched as shes pelted with rounds but nothing penetrates her skin. Still its clearly hurts._

_During her panic she noticed the others trying to leave and looked towards the airlock door. It slammed shut with another round of static on the feed and the metal begins to glow cherry red. No one is getting out of here alive._

_The chains on her glowed and seared her skin the metal bent finally and started to break away at the weakest links as she screamed again. The humans begin to shriek. Some panic and tried the door, some keep shooting. It's a mad house as they try to find a way out._

_"Security team, subject alpha has broken free! We are sealed in the main labs! Send back up!"_

_Clips are dropped for live rounds and the gun fire began again in earnest. The ones who tried the door get burned for their efforts. She wailed as holes are blown open on her body and blood trickled down her flanks. She starts to lunge, The lead shooter is lifted up in the air and thrown against the back wall like he was hit by a truck. But then she flopped to the floor with a clatter of broken chains, links scattering everywhere, the braces still around her wrists and ankles. Then she is still.. breathing hard and bleeding freely._

_For a moment it seemed to be over. A pause, where everyone held their breath... One of the fire team members scooted up to inspect her. Those burned were crying in agony as they tried to cool themselves at the wash station_

_She moved her hand slowly for the mans boot mewling softly. The fire team member started to crouch reaching for her before someone shouted. "No! Don't touch it! It will kill you! Let the restraint team handle it."_

_"But..."_

_"No! Don't be fooled by it!"_

_A few moved over with tasers in hand creeping closer._

_In one sudden motion she heaved herself, not at the man next to her, but at whoever shouted at him. Fangs first she torn into his neck and throat. The man dead before he hit the ground._

_The others started firing. The one she ignored stumbled back. Scientists broke the fire extinguisher glass and start coating the door in a desperate attempt to cool it down enough to open._

_Blood down her front she shrieked that pained shriek again and sent an invisible wave out from her hand. Everyone near the door and firing at her smashed against the far wall. Breaking glass and equipment. Sparks began to arc from one of the machine banks._

_There is the sounds of banging on the other side of the airlock door._

_The man who had stopped shooting had somehow not gotten killed by this point. He got up and ran to the her. "H-hey! Over here!" he waved her over trying to lead her to the disposal chute._

_Fire started in the spilled fluids and tanks start to pop as flames begins to rage in the labs. Klaxons scream as the fire suppression system starts up raining down on everyone. She looks towards man trying to help her and after a moment she begins limping over to him, bleeding freely from holes in her side and leg._

_The guy rushed over and grabbed her helping her over. The door begins to crack open. There is something being pumped into the room._

_Now hard to see her and this man as they moved just below camera, but as the door started to open it smashed shut again, another tube exploded. The man is said something, but its hard to make out as the sound of static started to rise._

_She hovers into view the feed filled with static snow. Its hard to make out, but everything in the lab started to move and crush into the far wall and door. The airlock door split and flew away like it was made of paper. The people, the machines, the bricks of the wall everything just started to crush into what looks like a mini singularity._

_A_ _bubble of energy_ _spr_ _ung up_ _around_ _her_ _as the static and the force of the mini black hole intensify and then the feed suddenly cut out._

***

The tape ended. Aspen looked at her daughter who sat like stone staring unblinking at the screen as tears rolled down her cheeks.

She frowned and grabbed the fluffiest heaviest blanket she had and gently began to drape it over Avalon’s shoulders “shhh… take all the time you need” Now bundled up she laid her weird daughter back against the couch with relative ease. “you don’t need to apologize.. or speak.. or do anything for as long as you have to. Just rest…”

Aspen patted her and stood up to take away the dishes. There was a soft thud, looking back she could see Avalon had fallen to her side on the couch curled up in a tight little ball.

It was going to take time. She might never talk about her side of these things. Aspen accepted this was okay. What was more important then anything was she was safe and healing. When she was ready, if she was ever ready, she would tell her how she got away. But it didn’t matter. She was home.


	12. Training

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of training

_August_ _1st_ _201_ _2_

_Its really been a few months since I’ve updated this journal hasn't it? To be fair to myself I was a little distracted. I showed Avalon all the data I had from her creation and even the security footage from her escape. She didn’t take it well, as expected. It took her a couple days of laying on the couch before she just vanished for another couple days._

_Merlin kept mental tabs on her, let me know she was nearby on the property and just wanted to be left alone to think._

_I couldn’t blame her. I cant even begin to imagine how she must feel. Alone in the world. One of a kind. Made for a purpose she had no choice in. Born in blood and violence. And now with no purpose but to live. To live… how hard that must be? Hell its hard for humans a lot of the time. For her? I don’t think I could be as strong as she is, and I don’t mean her powers, I mean her soul. To carry on in this world not feeling like you belong, feeling like this life doesn’t want you and no sense of meaning. Ennui isn't even remotely a strong enough word._

_Eventually she came back, quiet but hungry. I fed her and looked after her and we never spoke about the tape again. Things started to fall into a routine and she started to brighten up and act more relaxed. Breakfast, teaching, lunch, teaching, dinner, rest rinse repeat._

_She doesn’t realize it, but her nightmares leaked out to Merlin and I as she slept. I know a little more of the story, but I still wont bother her about it. How she remembered more of her first moments. How one of the fire team crew had helped her escape. Very few of them lived, but whichever he is I hope hes doing ok. And pain, so much pain, I owe her everything and I don’t think I will ever be able to pay that debt off so long as I live. But gods know I will try._

_“_ _Mother? The sky is clear today did you want to train?”_

Aspen looked up from her journal at Avalon. The creation was standing at the windows looking out into the grotto around the cabin, her tail swaying slowly. Outside it was bright and sunny, a rarity on the coast even in the height of summer.

She closed the journal and set it on the table. “I suppose we can sure.. its about time we started. Go ahead out there, Merlin you too I will be a second”

Merlin looked up from his corner eyes going wide as he looked up at Avalon _“You want ME to be her sparring partner?”_

“Do you see anyone else around here qualified?” Aspen had gotten up and was working on pulling on some boots.

Merlin let out a disgruntled whine and got himself up padding for the door before letting himself outside. Avalon followed stretching out in the sunlight. With a few more muttered curses the Alakazam made his way to the far side of the clearing and huffed holding his hands out as a pair of spoons appeared in his claws. Avalon could only peer at him quizzically before Aspen stepped outside to join them.

“Okay! Avalon go to the other end of the clearing if you would?”

She hesitated a moment, but floated over there and landed across from Merlin. The older pokemon squinted at his opponent.

“So...Ava? I want you to understand you are potentially MUCH more powerful then Merlin, but Merlin has years of training under his metaphorical belt. Him, Panthur, and I did the Casdia gym circuit for a while. Well not alone I had four others, but I gave them to a trainer friend of mine when I started college… doing well last I heard.. ANYWAY.. point is this is a training session not a fight for your life. I want you to at least understand the things you can do and if we CAN start training you in some more practical non-combative power uses.”

_“_ _Such as?”_

“well you can FLY so there's that… but things like that. Can you teleport? Shield yourself? Turn invisible?”

_“_ _no I…”_

“Ah.. not _yet_.. but we are going to find out. Merlin is going to help coach you through some of that and serve as a target for you to practice on.. please do not kill him”

Merlin’s eyes widened as he looked at his trainer. _“yes please do not kill me I rather like being alive thank you.”_

Aspen snorted “it will be fine”

_“_ _Fine she says…”_

“come on Merlin look sharp” she barked.

He snapped his head up and crossed the spoons in front of his face. Several soft glowing layers of psy energy formed up in front of him.

“Okay to start. Ava I want you to focus. Reach deep inside of yourself and find.. rage… pain… whatever emotion you can find. tap into that emotion and use it to manifest an attack.. any attack I want to see what you come up with…”

Avalon, who had been listening intently, nodded and took a few deep breaths closing her eyes. A faint blue aura formed around her as power raised up her spine. After a few moments she held out her hand towards Merlin and a bright streak of purple and blue light flashed out of her hand and smashed into the psychic barriers around him.

He stumbled back and gave his head a shake renewing his focus on the barriers.

“good! Basic psychic attack. You can do stronger I’m sure but not right now. Lets focus on basics… Mew could use any powers… and you might not have everything you likely share some of it’s versatility. Can you try something different?”

Avalon frowned at her _“I can do this?”_ she reached out and did an awkward snap of her fingers creating a tiny puff of flame over her hand that winked right out.

“Oh! That's good! No wonder you could survive the winter”

The creation nodded slowly.

“can you do that but bigger?”

Avalon looked at Merlin and held her palms out to him after a few moments she stomped a foot forward and blew out a jet of flames that washed over the barriers.

Aspen danced back a couple paces away from the heat and nodded “Great! That's Great!… okay.. anything else?”

Merlin squinted at his trainer from behind his shields like she was insane.

 _“_ _mmm there was.. another thing I figured out once..”_ Avalon looked up at the sky her eyes glowing. A few clouds gathered and there was a rumble among them before a bolt of lightning struck down hitting the ground next to Merlin. He managed to keep his calm but only barely.

By the time she looked back at Aspen the woman was staring wide eyed in shock.

“okay! Lets.. not do that again.. we don’t need to send out a signal to everyone for a hundred miles where we are… ummm… Merlin.. your turn to go on the attack?”

He lowered his spoons and blinked at her.

“Just weak attacks shes going to try and put up shields okay? Avalon look at what hes done and try and mimic it.”

Avalon nodded holding her hands out mimicking the pose even, the shimmering fields popped into place with ease.

“Excellent.. now hold it while he does his work… Merlin go ahead”

Merlin crossed his spoons and focused sending out beams and balls of energy one after the others. Aspen steped back from the light show as it crashed into Avalon’s shield over and over washing over it harmlessly with blue static.

“This will be your main form of defense. We will practice this a lot in the coming months just till it becomes reflex. The moment you feel a threat you put one of these up” she almost shouted over the constant screeches and booms of powers going off right in front of her.

Avalon spared a glance at her and nodded. _“Merlin stop please”_

Her sparring partner lowered his spoons and tilted his head at her.

“What is it Avalon?”

She shook her head _“I know you want me to be able to fight… but you also said something about non-combat means to defend myself? Can we swap to that?”_

“Of course.. but we will come back around to this other stuff later.”

Avalon nodded and swished her tail looking at her maker.

“Alright so… I think your best bet if you ever want to venture beyond this property is learning to be unseen… I hope you can.. you SHOULD be able to.” She looks at Merlin and shrugs.

 _“_ _I understand how it should be done in theory.. but_ _I’_ _ve never practiced it”_ Merlin tossed his spoons over his shoulders where they dissipate before they hit the ground. Walking over he stopped before Avalon and floated up to hover cross legged in front of her. _“All acts of will are a matter of finding a path for your mind to envision it.. and then pushing the power inside of you to do it.. eventually it becomes like moving a limb.. you wish it and you do it.. do you think about moving your arm when you want to?”_

Avalon looked down at her hand and flexed it bringing it up _“I do not”_

 _“_ _Abilities are much the same.. using your powers is just a matter of understanding how to flex that muscle”_ he smiled _“so.. envision something.. imagine being turned to glass.. the light passing though you.. or like water.. clear as a mountain spring.. the very air itself.. a breeze and nothing more.._ _light passes through you.. around you… it does not touch you…”_ he continued on his mental voice a soft drone as he described ways of being unseen.

Aspen watched as Avalon's form flickered and shimmered, weird prism effects popping up around her before her form went completely transparent.

She was about to comment, but a glance from Merlin made her bite her lip as he continued to drone on.

_“good.. good.. hold that feeling get used to how that feels.. the sense of being there but not.. light passing through you.. you are the wind and water…”_

_“I think.. I think I got it?”_

Aspen finally comments “Like everything else it will take practice…”

Avalon slowly faded back into view _“… practice”_ she flexed her hand and smiled.


	13. Transformation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Creative Problem Solving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big reveal of a headcanon for mewtwos in this chapter.

The summer had passed with little of note. Days spent training and learning as each sunset came a little sooner. The leaves had started to turn shades of crimson and gold. Fog and clouds had become a more constant companion yet again.

In the grotto a thick fog blanketed the area dropping iridescent dew on everything it touched. Avalon stood in the front yard, stock still like an alabaster statue as droplets clung to her thin fur. Her hand outstretched towards a boulder that hovered in the air rotating slowly. The glow from her eyes and around her body made her almost spectral, shimmery, like a thing that wasn't real.

Several more giant stones stood around the clearing having been moved and rearranged by her telekinesis in today's practice. Merlin sheltered in the eves of the front porch a blanket around his shoulders and a mug of tea in his claws as he watched her work.

Avalon rotated the stone a few more times before placing it with its brothers. Lowering her hand she took a deep breath before she raised both palms to the sky. All the giant stones lifted after a moment of stillness floating back one by one to their original homes and settling in with groans of stone on stone.

The door creaked open and Aspen sat down beside Merlin, a blanket and mug of tea of her own as she settled into watch.

“How’s she doing?”

_“Phenomenal…_ _I’ve never seen such power…”_

Aspen nodded sipping at her tea. She wasn't surprised at all. “What do you have her doing?”

_“Practicing control and diversion and focus.. seeing if she can split her attention between multiple objects of varying weights and fine tune her control of her telekinesis”_

Avalon lifted her hand starting the process over levitating a stone and rotating it in the air.

“God.. that has to weigh as much as my truck…”

Merlin shook his head _“Try three of your truck…”_

“damn…” Aspen shook her head and looked down.

The Alakazam lifted a brow and looked at his trainer _“Something troubling you Morgan?”_

She sighed “yes but nothing you need to worry about…”

Merlin turned towards her slowly and just stared at her.

Aspen met his gaze and huffed “ok ok … yes I know.. we.. just are running out of money..”

_"Ah… yes.. money..”_

“I know you think its stupid, but the human world revolves around it... and while I’m getting a separation stipend from the company its not enough to keep us going forever…”

Merlin looked away to watch his student who still practiced out in the fog, but had one ear turned back to listen. _“you have a plan”_ he remarked.

“I do… but… I worry about taking it because it means leaving her up here alone all the time….”

There was a heavy thunk as Ava set down a stone and turned towards them. _“_ _What are you talking about?”_

“I need to take a job.. there's one down in Bayside.. a good one but I would need to move down there proper and likely leave you behind up here. I don’t like that prospect.. having you close would be too risky” Aspen hunched her shoulders.

  
 _“If you need to do it…. I would understand.”_ Avalon slumped her shoulders. _  
_

“I could come back up on weekends…”

_“Why couldn’t I come with you?”_

“Because its a city… how long do you think you could escape detection there?”

_“I could be invisible?”_

“All the time?”

Avalon looked at the ground and frowned _“_ _no.. maybe not.. but.. there has to be something I can do”_ Avalon climbed up on the porch and sat with the pair of them making a line as they all looked out into the fog.

“You would need to blend in kiddo… there would be too many situations where even being unseen isn't hidden enough. Psy detectors? People visiting the house? Hell even people coming to the door could be an issue.. plus you would be trapped in the house unless you explored invisible all the time.”

 _“_ _I could throw off psy detectors at least”_ Merlin tried to add helpfully.

“And then who am I buying all this food for…”

 _“_ _I'm sorry if_ _I’_ _m a burden…”_ Avalon rested her chin on the railing and sighed.

Aspen blinked “Noo.. no that's not on you at all… if moving down there even on the edge of town isn't an option I will just have to think of something else.” she smiled and reached over to pat Avalon’s shoulder before getting up “You two go ahead and practice.. I will think of something” the door swung closed with a creak leaving Avalon and Merlin to share a long look.

 _“_ _I will think of something”_ Avalon states before looking back out over the foggy yard.

***

_R_ _ays of sun lanc_ _ed_ _through layers of foliage_ _that reached up to touch the sky. Massive trees like the pillars of a grand cathedral stood silent. Distant birdsong echoed, but none dared come close. Wisps of fog rose from the damp ground where the sun touched. In the center Avalon stood. Something felt strange. The songs were not right, the trees, the plants, everything felt old and out of time, out of place. As she stood there taking in the majesty of this place she felt a presence coming closer._

_A pink ball of light_ _floated_ _out of the woods towards her. Bobbing and weaving along the underbrush like a willow-the-wisp._ _Avalon watched it tilting her head as it came closer. Just beyond arms reach it changed direction and started to circle her as if to inspect her. When she reached for it it bobbed back waiting for her to put her hand down._

_After a few passes it paused in front of her and the pink started to morph and change shape resolving into the all too familiar shape of an Alakazam. Merlin with his pale graying whiskers and ears. He floated there cross-legged regarding her a few moments before his form changed again growing taller, human. Aspen took shape in front of her shaking out her long fading blonde hair and an unfamiliar twinkle in her blue eyes._

_“Mother?”_

_The woman held a finger in front of her lips before she started to shift again the pink glow returning as the shape morphed and flowed into a smaller body hovering in the air in front of her. Long tail like a whip out behind its round little body, tiny paws, and bright blue eyes._

_“Mew!” it squeaked out at her._

_“you… must be.. you are my origin… if you were Merlin and Aspen that means you are the rest of me.. aren't you?” Avalon could feel everything going sideways. Something wasn't right. She reached out to touch the Mew, but it floated back giggling at her before it turned tail and flew off into the woods._

_“WAIT!” Avalon lifted off and flew after it keeping pace having to dodge the trees and underbrush that the little cat could just slip through._

_They raced through the woods, Avalon flying higher over the underbrush as she tried to keep an eye on the Mew below her. Eventually the trees gave way and Avalon found herself flying over a lake._

_Slowing down she marveled_ _at the crystal clear waters and their perfect mirror reflection below till a ripple broke the waters surface. She looked out to the center of the water where Mew had apparently dove into the lake. Slowly she approached tail swishing in anticipation. The pink glow brightened under the waters surface ri_ _sing_ _back out into view. A white mew with lavender eyes took shape before her for a heartbeat before it morphed again into a white and lavender furred Alakazam. It watched her a moment before changing form again, a human. A small thin girl stood on the surface of the water, long strait hair pale as a cloud. When she opened her eyes Avalon found she was staring into her own_ _soul_ _and with as gasp, she woke up._

***

Morning found Aspen curled up in her bed, back to the windows as she tried to squeeze out a few more minutes of sleep. Dozing like that she felt a gentle nudge on her shoulder.

“Avalon please… I will get breakfast going in a minute…” she murmured.

Another nudge.

“Ava.. honey please…”

Another one this one with more force and insistence.

“Alright damn OK” Aspen rolled over and sat up. “OK you are hungry… I… get.. it”

She stared, her pulse seeming to slow as her sleep addled brain tried to process what she was seeing. A girl stood beside the bed. Late teens early twenties maybe it was hard to guess. Long lanky white hair and pale skin. A blanket wrapped over her narrow shoulders to cover her nudity. She trembled either out of cold or fear she couldn’t guess. Her large eyes wide but unmistakably purple.

“Avalon??”

The girl nodded slowly _“Mother… I had.. a weird dream.”_ the mental voice clearly belonged to her creation.

Aspen gently touched her shoulders as if this phantasm might vanish, but no she stayed put when she laid her hands on her. “Weird dream? That doesn’t explain this.. MERLIN GET UP HERE! Kiddo what happened? _How_??”

She shook her head _“I don’t know.. I followed a Mew in the forest and it changed shapes.. and then it turned into a girl and I woke up and when I woke up I was like this…”_

There was a soft pop in the air next to them as Merlin teleported up to them spoons out ready for a fight. He froze and his whiskers bristled looking at the girl.

“I…. Avalon I didn’t know you could do this…”

She got a look of mild panic as she looked around _“am I trapped like this? I feel so.. small”_

Merlin floated over and sat on the foot of the bed. _“_ _Transform perhaps?_ ” he dissipated his spoons and leaned on his hand looking at her _“Tell me about your dream”_

The girl nodded and gulped _“I was in a forest.. it was very old I think.. and this pink ball of light came up to me and started turning into things. First you Merlin then you Mother before it turned into a mew and flew off. I followed it to a lake where it came out and turned into a pale white mew, then a white alakazam, and finally… ummm…”_ she looked down over herself _“Into this.. and then I woke up and I was.. well like this”_ she shrugged.

Merlin nodded and stroked his whiskers. _“Perhaps a limited transform.. based on genetic memory?”_

Aspen tilted her head “I’ve heard of genetic memory, memories passed down in bloodlines, echos of the past, but what are you getting at Merlin?”

He tilted his head in mimic of her _“Mew can transform so they say.. because it has the linage of all pokemon in its genes… and the dittos you created could ONLY transform…”_ he nodded seeming to think hes onto a solid theory here. “ _The Mewtwo genome is primarily mew… but not all.. she has traded versatility for strength.. and as such.. perhaps she can also transform, but is limited to her own direct bloodline… A mew, an Alakazam, and a Human who all share her traits and coloration in her natural form._ _What you might be looking at here.. is.. a reflection of Avalon’s human traits… yours Morgan”_

Aspen looked at this girl and touched her face to brush a lock of pale hair away from her eyes “you do kinda look like one of my cousins when she was younger.. just a lot paler. Like.. a daughter” she smiled softly at her.

 _“_ _Am I stuck like this?”_ She glanced down and away.

 _“Hardly…_ _”_ Merlin smiled _“Mew and Ditto both have a natural form and you do as well.. if nothing else it will probably revert you next time you sleep… Again remember..”_ he held up a claw _“Holding a power is like flexing a muscle. Try relaxing. Take slow breaths like I taught you and let yourself Be.”_

Avalon nodded and closed her eyes taking deep breaths. After a few moments of this her form glowed bright blue and she started to morph and shift, growing in height as a tail uncoiled from her. When the light faded Avalon looked down over herself _“I never thought I would be glad to be in this body and yet here we are…”_ her tail flicked and she sighed.

Merlin nodded _“A very useful skill.. even if it might be limited like I theorize.”_

Avalon pulled the blanket around her shoulders and shivered _“I felt so small.. so fragile”_

_“_ _You still had access to all of your power however.. your signature didn’t change.”_

She nodded and looked to Aspen who had cupped her chin in thought.

_“_ _Mother?”_

Aspen looked up “hmm? Oh.. I was just thinking.. maybe I CAN take that job. We train you how to talk out loud if possible.. I contact a friend of mine and get some documents arranged. People who knew me before I took the job with Nuvo knew I wanted a kid. And you look about the right age for that…” she bobbed her head.

_“_ _what are you saying?”_

“I’m saying you could actually masquerade as my daughter like that… human psychics exist.. not anywhere near as powerful as you are but they DO exist and they often have strange coloration from the rest of us. It’s not THAT far fetched. If anyone asks who your father is I can just say I got a donor after the divorce… fertility drugs.. fixed the hell out of my sterility issues yup..”

_“_ _You mean we could move down to the edge of the city?”_ a wary hope crossed her feline face.

“we could.. I would still say don’t do any training down there.. and maybe make sure you always sleep somewhere safe… but yes that could make it doable. You could maybe even go to classes. Learn things if you wanted. Things I cant teach you.”

Avalon’s eyes lit up _“Classes?”_

Aspen nodded “that’s right!” she held up her hands “but let me see if I even get accepted for that job and lets see if we can fine tune your abilities a bit more. Get you some clothes maybe… well yes...” she gave her head a shake “There’s a few moving pieces to put in place to make this work.. but I think it could!”

Avalon nodded _“I will train very hard._ _I can_ _do this.”_

Aspen looked up at her daughter, her strange and beautiful daughter, and grinned.


	14. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A story ends and a new life begins.

Heavy rain pounded on the roof of the SUV as Aspen frowned at the rivulets of dirt tracing in the rain and asked herself why she thought buying something pearl white in this region was a good idea.

“Its still a pretty color Mother” the soft voice beside her murmured.

Aspen looked over and smiled. The young woman beside her was dressed in layers of wispy gray and white matching her own pale complexion. It all looked so comfortable and flowing and conveniently easy to toss off if you happened to need to shape shift. Hardly warm in this winter weather however.

“I know it's just I wasn't thinking clearly.. well I was I was thinking I had to portray a certain image… well and it matches you kiddo”

The girl smiled and looked out the windshield watching the driveway they sat in. Around them were woodlands, but distantly she could see lights from a house flickering through the swaying branches. Squatting at the center of this property was a large two story house, well insulated from it’s neighbors and just in the middle of normal that Aspen was looking for. Not too rich, not too poor, just right for an older, professional single mom.

Headlights appeared at the other end of the driveway and Aspen sat forward. Another SUV not to unlike her own but hunter green pulled in and parked. A woman a smidgen younger then Aspen hopped out, hood up as she rushed to the drivers window.

“Morgan Aspen?”

“That's me!”

“great lets get inside” the woman didn’t wait for an answer as she rushed to the front door working the lock.

Aspen got out and so did her daughter. Neither really rushing as they made it to the door just as the woman got it open.

Inside it was empty and spacious, double doors for an office off of a living room with large windows looking into nothing but greenery.

“So I wont lie you got a great deal on this place doctor Aspen.. it is doctor right?”

“it is…” Aspen made her way to the kitchen leaning on the breakfast bar counter “how did you know?”

“I heard we were getting a new professor at Bayside U and her last name was Aspen so when I saw your name in my email I made the connection” The woman smiled and laid out paperwork on the table for her to sign.

"Small town" Aspen mused as she picked up a pen.

The young woman finally wandered in looking around “this place is.. big”

The real estate agent smiled and offered something to Aspen. “here's the keys.. oh who's this young lady?”

“oh this is my daughter….” Aspen had a sudden moment of panic. What had she decided on on the paperwork? What sounded like Avalon but wasn't? AvALoN AALN… Oh! Right “Nala!”

“Oh! Nala that's a pretty name… reminds me of something, but I don’t know what? Anyway! Congrats! Enjoy your new house! If you need any work done let me know I can get contractors at a good price” the woman saw herself out likely with more work to go get done.

Aspen looked at Nala with a grin “well.. what do you think?”

She nodded brushing hair out of her eyes “I like it… its open but not… visible. And the bedrooms are upstairs?”

“Yes with blinds! So you can sleep in private and your own bed however you want it and be yourself in there.”

She nodded again and found a spot on the floor to settle into “so there will be furniture delivered today?”

“yup.. we have a little time.. but while we waited” Aspen came over and sat down beside her setting a bag down between them “I have a couple things for you”

“oh?” she leaned over and peered into the bag.

First thing Aspen pulled out was a pair of pokeballs. She released their occupants. Merlin and Panthur blinked shaking off their disorientation before setting off to explore the house. However she pulled a third out and offered it to Nala.

She hesitated before taking the ball. “what is this for?”

“Well open it!”

Nala pressed the button and with a whoosh it shot its energy at the floor next to them. A small fox faced pokemon materialized, hovering a few inches above the floor. Its brown and golden fur short and glossy. Eyes closed as it napped seeming to not even notice them there.

“an.. Abra?” Nala smiled and reached out to poke its little ear.

“A friend of mine owed me a favor and was able to get her for me.. shes yours.. well shes for you to train and raise… and name.”

“But why?” Nala smiled as the little thing yawned and floated over to land in Nala’s lap making a soft purring sound as it nestled in.

“well… having a companion of your own will bring you great comfort.. and well.. I think you would like to have something like that.. but also…. When she evolves into a Kadabra she can act as a shield for you… people sensing psychic energy will hopefully just assume its from her. Aww she likes you”

Nala sniffled “I… thank you Mother” she started to gently stroke her little abra’s head and ears making it fall right back asleep on her.

Aspen grinned “Merlin did that to me too when I first got him. You would never guess that now the way he sasses me”

_“_ _I can hear you Morgan”_

“shush you!” Aspen leaned in and put her hand on Nala’s back “So what do you want to name her?”

Nala looked over her new friend thinking “Her color makes me think of the fossil you got my DNA from… Amber… that’s a name right?”

“Of course it is… Amber.. that's a sweet name.” Aspen patted her and got up “If that's what you want to call her then that's her name”

Nala smiled and continued to pet the little Abra “Amber… I hope I can teach you right.”

Aspen walked away letting her daughter have her moment with her new companion. It wasn't a perfect solution, but this house, this situation, this life, it would make her life worth living at least. To drive away the pain of her birth and the solitude of her existence as the only one of her kind. As their days went on in this new place Aspen hoped she could make up for the harm she caused her experiment, her creation, her prodigal daughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amber here is a pure coincidence to the Amber in original Mewtwo's background. In this continuity Fuji's daughter is known by her original Japanese version name - Ai
> 
> Thank you for reading! Look for book two in the coming weeks Exile's End!


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